Shadow Wars
by northestwinds
Summary: Class reunions are known to be wild events, but somehow Chihiro doubted that watching a murder, getting lost in the woods, and seeing a dragon were on the schedule. Finding herself thrown into the middle of war in the Spirit World, Chihiro must find the courage to rise to the challenges around her. *I do not own Spirited Away* OOC
1. Prologue

**Prologue:**

"Will we meet again sometime," Chihiro asked with a worried voice. She turned away from the expanse of green grassy knolls to look at Haku. His framed small smile didn't reflect into his eyes, but she wasn't paying attention to that. Her mind was full of seeing her parents and getting back to her world.

"Sure we will," he lied smoothly. With his river filled in, he knew he had no way back to the human world to see her and yet he couldn't bring himself to tell her that they would never meet again. Her eyes were filled with excitement and happiness, how could he mention it now? Besides, she belonged in the human world, not the spirit world. This was her chance to return with a clean break. In time she would forget all that had happened there and her life would move on. The barrier between the worlds would make sure of that.

"Promise?"

"Promise. Now go and don't look back." Haku felt her warm hand slide out of his and his fingers grasped after the loss. He reached after her, almost about to stop her. Haku wanted her to stay, to abandon her world and family, and stay with him. Watching her walk out of sight, he felt a pain in his chest and his hand dropped back down to his side. Chihiro was gone.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1:**

Chihiro carefully placed the bouquet of flowers on her parent's grave and sent up a silent prayer to them. With her new job she hadn't had the chance to visit their grave since their funeral two years ago. Not that she could forget the accident or the dark days following it. They had been on their way home from her graduation dinner when a drunk driver had hit them from behind throwing their car into the busy intersection. Two cars struck them crushing the car and the occupants within. Chihiro's parents were killed on impact, but Chihiro was only knocked unconscious. When she awoke later in the hospital, she only had a few bruises and a small mark where her favorite purple hair tie had broken against her wrist. It took Chihiro months to come to terms with their deaths and the guilt she felt for surviving. Standing up and brushing the dirt off her knees, she began the walk back towards the hotel where she was spending the night. The class reunion was going to be hosted at the local ryokan near her old house, but all of the hotels near it were already completely booked. Chihiro wondered if it was even worth attending since she hadn't had any close friends in school and doubted anyone would remember her. However she had taken off work to attend so she reasoned that an appearance was necessary.

Chihiro sipped her beer gingerly as she watched her classmates talk in groups around the room. Dinner had passed quickly thanks to the small talk floating around her table, but it hadn't taken long for all of her tablemates to wander away after they finished eating. It was nice to see everyone again, but it was hard for her to make small talk when the visit to her parent's grave was still on the back of her mind. Chihiro's vision was blocked as her old classmate Tsukasa-san sat across from her at the table.

"I see you are still as antisocial as ever, Ogino-san. Are you having a good night," she asked before taking a long sip of her beer.

"As good as could be expected I suppose," she replied as her eyes continued to wander around the room, "I think I might head back to my hotel soon. It is getting late and I have to drive back to Tokyo tomorrow morning."

"I can't believe people still confuse us. Nakamura-kun actually thought I was you when I went to get a drink from the bar. Anyone with half a brain could tell us apart." Chihiro nodded her head in agreement as Tsukasa-san rattled on about their apparent differences. Despite their similarities in appearance, Chihiro lacked the bubbling outgoing personality that always flowed from her classmate with ease. She preferred to sit back and watch the others instead of interact with them. Their frivolous worries and shallow personalities had irritated her when she had first moved into town with her family, but it was easier to say nothing and be ignored than to insult the crowd and be ostracized. She hadn't thought of them since she moved to Tokyo and began her work as a manager at an international toy company.

"Maybe if he wasn't so drunk I would let him take me back to the hotel, but after he mistook me for you he would have to get on his knees and apologize."

Realizing that she would go on for the rest of the night if Chihiro would let her, she decided to excuse herself politely instead. Making a slow circuit, she said her goodbyes to the classmates she remembered and gave her thanks to the old student council members who had been gracious enough to put the event together. With her greetings done, Chihiro grabbed one last beer from the bar before making her way to the coat room to get her purse. Ignoring the couple sloppily kissing in the stairwell, she grabbed her purse from the rack and gave her thanks to the okami-san before stepping outside into the warm summer air. Finishing her beer quickly, she threw the bottle in the trash before starting towards the road back into town. A loud thud of flesh meeting wood stopped her in her tracks and Chihiro looked back to the shadows on the side of the ryokan. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she recognized Tsukasa-san pinned against the wall of the ryokan by her neck as Nakamura-san hovered over her.

"This isn't her fools. Kill her. We can't have any witnesses," a gravelly voice sounded from Nakamura-san's mouth. Chihiro's eyes widened in horror as a black shadow seemed to pull out of Nakamura-san and snap Tsukasa's neck. As the body slid to the ground, Chihiro backed away in fear. The shadow retracted back into Nakamura-san and his head rolled to stare at her with hungry red eyes.

"Found her." His words broke Chihiro's shock and she began to run. Peeling off from the road, Chihiro zigzagged through the woods as footsteps followed after her. Stopping shortly to catch her breath, she could hear the footsteps crashing closer.

"Chihiro darling, stop running. We need to talk!" Taking off running again, she spotted what looked like a tunnel ahead. Deciding to hide on the other side of the tunnel, she was surprised to see light coming out from the other end of the tunnel. Stumbling out into a bright, empty room she marveled how much it resembled a train station. She couldn't recall a train station out in the woods or frankly anything other than woods for miles in this area of town. The immediate crunch of gravel reminded her of the need to hide. Jogging quickly out onto a platform, Chihiro nearly stopped in shock when she saw a river and the lights of a small town across it. There was no river for miles as far as she could remember. Wondering if she was hallucinating, Chihiro hid behind the end of a bench and held her head as she prayed that he wouldn't find her.

"Chihiro, Chihiro, Chihiro," the gravelly voice drawled, "You will never be safe from us as long as you live." Squeezing her fists tight, Chihiro prepared to fight as she watched his feet getting closer to the bench. A loud roar resounded and Chihiro's head whipped around to see a large white and teal dragon diving towards her from the night sky. Curling up in a ball, she felt the wind rush past her. Peeking up over the bench end, she could see the dragon ripping into Nakamura-san with sharp claws. Standing up and backing away, Chihiro watched as the dragon tore him apart limb from limb with ease. Deciding to take the chance to escape while the dragon was occupied, Chihiro eased herself to the edge of the platform with the intention of jumping off onto the tracks below. If she was lucky it would connect with a platform on the other side of the train station and she could escape back through the tunnel unnoticed.

However the sound of tearing flesh stopped as her bottom touched the stone platform. Looking back over her shoulder, Chihiro was under the intense scrutiny of the dragon's green eyes. The dragon began walking slowly towards her as it carefully observed her. Stopping a few feet away from her, she felt herself tremble as it bowed its head towards her. Bowing her head back towards it, Chihiro looked up to see the last bit of dragon disappearing into a man. Lifting a bloody hand towards her hesitantly, he asked quietly, "Chihiro?"

His green eyes were the last thing Chihiro saw as the world spun around her and she slipped away into the darkness.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

Chihiro could recall the number of times she had passed out after drinking on one hand, but never had she had any hallucinations. Maybe one of my drinks was spiked, she thought glumly, as she began to wake up. The sound of pouring water, pressurized steam, and murmuring voices could be heard underneath the delicate pickings of a koto. Wondering where she had crashed last night since it obviously was not the Western styled business suite she had reserved, Chihiro opened her eyes. The overhang of a large canopy bed greeted her and she began to look around in confusion and wonder. A night stand stood bare besides the bed, but it was the large wardrobe that caught her attention. The wardrobe was full of traditional male Japanese clothes. The open windows were wide open and a gentle cool breeze swept into the room. Did she go home with someone last night? Thinking hard all she could remember was the hallucinations of Tsukasa-san's murder, running through the woods, and then watching Nakamura-san be torn apart by a dragon. She couldn't remember anyone inviting her home from the reunion, yet how else could she have wound up wearing what appeared to be a man's shirt?

Dangling her bare feet off the side of the bed, Chihiro sat up slowly and surveyed the situation. Her clothes from last night were nowhere to be seen, but luckily the shirt modestly covered her. She took note of the lack of pain between her legs and the comforting presence of her underwear meaning she hadn't mistakenly given away her virtue in her drunken haze. Taking a few slow steps, she moved to look out of the window. The moonlight reflected gently off the large river and the small town rumbled with life before her. The sound of a train whistle could be heard in the distance. The view was beautiful, but Chihiro could only grasp the fact that there was no river for miles from town. Where was she? The sound of arguing voices breached her frozen state and she moved silently to the panel separating her room from the next. Sliding it open, Chihiro briefly took note of an empty dining table, a sofa before a fire, and a workbench of sorts. Walking towards the door with arguing voices, she listened carefully to the conversation behind it.

"She needs to return to her own world. That is the only way for her to be safe. It is too dangerous here for a human," a tenor male voice stated calmly. His voice reminded her of the voice from the dragon and of water flowing over smooth rocks.

"Haku, if you send her back there is no guarantee that she will be safe. Even if we create another charm, there is no guarantee that the Tainted won't find a way to hurt her. She is safer here where we can keep an eye on her," an older female voice chided.

"She doesn't remember anything of this world, including all of us. She has a life back there and we can't simply yank her out of it! If we put enough charms and spells on her perhaps it would be enough to keep her hidden and safe in the human world," the male voice retorted.

"And what if she gets kidnapped? Do you think the Tainted would be so kind as to let her go because you ask nicely? No Haku, they would torture her and kill her… just to get to you," a quiet female voice interrupted. Her questions were met with a pregnant silence before the older woman continued.

"I may not be the oldest spirit around, but I cannot recall a time in our history where a human has passed successfully through the void more than once. It could be a sign that she is supposed to be here for a reason."

"Zeniba, I cannot risk her life."

"Yet you would give up yours to save hers."

"I won't have her sacrificed for our cause!" A silence held for a moment before the older voice spoke with great tiredness.

"Give me time to visit the royal archives in the Capital. If there is any magic that could help her live safely in her world I will find it. In the meantime, I suggest you talk her into staying here."

"You can make her my assistant again. I'll keep an eye on her and keep her out of trouble," the younger voice spoke now with a slight hint of desperation. A loud sigh followed before a prolonged silence. Counting until two hundred in her head, Chihiro grasped the door handle and gave it a twist.

The room beyond the door appeared to be a large office, crammed to the brim with overflowing bookshelves and a massive desk covered in cluttered papers. The pair of French doors were open to the breeze and revealed a large balcony with deep gouges in the woodwork. Two large velvet chairs sat occupied before the desk. In one sat an elderly lady in a blue dress and in the other sat a young lady in a salmon colored uniform. The man from last night stood with both hands planted on the desk as if to ground himself. His black cropped hair had fallen forward, but his brilliant green eyes had shot up to stare at her the moment the door swung open. His blue and cream kimono hung elegantly from his frame, highlighting the lithe muscle beneath. Standing to his full height, he made as if to come towards her before deciding against it.

"I hope our discussion didn't wake you. I thought you would sleep until sunrise. How are you feeling," he asked as his eyes raked over her guarded expression. He offered her his chair, but she shook her head no and remained in the doorway, grasping the doorframe carefully.

"Nothing some water and a few ibuprofen couldn't fix. However I have a lot of questions that need answering." Chihiro was surprised at how calm her voice sounded when on the inside she was panicking. He took his seat gracefully, but his eyes never left hers. The other two present remained silent as he continued.

"I expected as much. What exactly do you remember?"

"I saw Tsukasa-san murdered by Nakamura-san and ran from him. I tried to lose him in the woods and went through some sort of tunnel as I tried to find someplace to hide. Before he could find me, a dragon attacked and killed him…You were the dragon who saved me last night, weren't you?" The reality of a dragon shifting into a man seemed impossible but Chihiro felt it was better to put the insane thought out there in the open rather than have it fester in her mind. She needed answers, no matter how strange they might be. Plus if it wasn't the truth then she could start separating fact from hallucination.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, but your safety took priority. My name is Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi and I am the owner of this bathhouse. You may call me Haku. This here is Lin, my second in command, and Zeniba, my magic consultant." His passive confirmation of her memory sent Chihiro's head reeling, and she gripped the frame a little harder to ground herself. Giving a stiff bow towards them, Chihiro introduced herself. Zeniba smiled warmly at her before speaking.

"We know who you are Chihiro. There is no need to be frightened of us. We have been good friends for a long time."

"Miss Zeniba," Chihiro started before being cut off.

"Please call me Granny." Shaking her head in acknowledgement, Chihiro started again.

"Granny, this is my first time meeting you. You must be confusing me for someone else."

"No dear, we have met before. You have actually met all of us before. You just don't remember it right now. Don't worry though, no one ever truly forgets someone that they have met." Zeniba smiled at her warmly before standing up to leave.

"Haku, I am going to leave now for the Capital. You can expect a letter with an update by the end of the week." Haku nodded his head in understanding and with a smile, Zeniba disappeared into thin air. Chihiro gaped like a fish staring at the small white paper bird that now rested where Zeniba had stood seconds before. Taking flight, the bird sailed straight into the fire where it disappeared into nothing. Suddenly a dragon shifting man didn't seem as farfetched as before.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

"I will send up breakfast, but I suggest you both come downstairs soon. Half the staff thinks she's dead after the way you acted last night Haku," Lin stated as she got up slowly.

"Please let them know that she is alive and well. We will be down after breakfast."

"How did I get here last night," Chihiro asked as Haku looked away guiltily.

"He ran in the main entrance with you cradled against his chest and both of you covered in blood. Damn near sent two yuna to their graves with heart attacks too." Chihiro felt her eyebrows rise at the image. Looking back at Haku, he was staring at the papers on his desk rather than meeting of their eyes.

"I couldn't risk flying with Chihiro unconscious. Besides I have you to handle the staff when I am busy." Moving towards Chihiro, Haku waved to Lin as she left the office through a different door muttering something about him owing her one. Chihiro stepped back into the living area as Haku walked closer.

"Breakfast should be up momentarily. Would you care for a cup of tea while we wait," he asked as he motioned for her to take a seat by the fire.

"Tea would be lovely, thank you," Chihiro replied as she curled up in a corner of the sofa. Pulling out a small tea set from the office, Haku prepared the tea and poured them each a cup before sitting down on the other end of the sofa. Taking the cup, she smelled the warm aromas, "Mmmm, green tea, my favorite."

Sipping from his own cup, Haku shot her a knowing smile, but didn't comment. Even as she took comfort from the tea, Chihiro couldn't find a place to start. She had so many questions that needed answering, but her gut was warning her to choose her words carefully. The girl Lin had mentioned that he could trap her, and Chihiro could only guess how far he would go to keep her here and blissfully ignorant of any danger.

"I'm sorry that you witnessed such a tragedy last night. I'm here to listen if you would like to talk about it." Chihiro smiled sadly into her cup before looking over into the crackling fire.

"I didn't know Tsukasa-san or Nakamura-san very well, but I never would have suspected he wanted to kill her…"

"The decision was not his. He was possessed by the Tainted," Haku cut in politely.

"The Tainted?" Heaving a sigh, Haku adjusted himself wearily in his seat. He frowned as he seemed to consider what to say. Looking down at her curled up feet, he began to speak.

"You don't need to concern yourself-"

"If you expect me to stay here ignorant then I will escort myself out now," Chihiro cut him off. Her hard expression and cutting words made Haku reconsider what he had been about to stay.

"I should have remembered that the silence barrier on the office does not apply to humans…how much did you hear?"

"Enough to know that you want me to stay here until you can find a safe way to return me home. I want to be informed on the situation before I decide if I will stay or not. You can start by explaining to me what the Tainted are." Haku frowned into his tea for a few moments before relenting.

"In your world, they would be called demons, however here they are known as Tainted Souls. They are spirit impurities and the souls of spirits who have fallen into the darkness. Typically, the Tainted can't survive in your world unless they are extremely powerful and can possess a host. When taken, the host's spirit is consumed and the body becomes a mindless shell. Your Nakamura-san was literally a dead man walking. It is much easier to kill Tainted Souls when they have bound themselves to a body. Kill the body, kill the Tainted, but things get much messier when they are in their shadow form. As a shadow their touch is poisonous and without treatment, the infected become corrupted by their own impurities. When they can no longer find the good within themselves, their bodies begin to crumble into a shadow or they become hosts. You will see many of the injured warriors recovering around the bathhouse." The sound of tea whistling from the table interrupted Haku and both of them looked over at the two plates of steamed buns. Getting up, they both sat at the table and continued their conversation over the meal after blessing the food.

"Where do these Tainted Souls come from?"

"We create impurities naturally in small amounts," Haku continued, "mostly in response to pollutions from the human world or dark thoughts within us. That is why spirits must regularly cleanse themselves in some shape or form. Most visit a bath house such as this one to wash the impurities away and we purge the resulting darkness for them. We have lived in relative peace for the past few thousand years, but recently the Tainted have grown too strong. Too many spirits have fallen in a short time span, and they have created an army of hosts and shadows to try and take over all of the Spirit World. This is one of four bathhouses that circle the Capital and provide relief to the spirits who have been summoned to fight the Tainted."

"Presuming all you have said is true," Haku frowned at her over his bun, "then why would a group of broken spirits go all the way to the human world to find me?"

"As the owner of the Eastern bathhouse and a powerful river spirit, I am a prime target for the Tainted. The rumor of your visit here eleven years ago must have reached their ears and they must have thought they could use you to hurt me."

"Why? What happened here eleven years ago?" Chihiro held Haku's gaze steadily as he looked at her with nostalgia. His memories of her flew before his eyes and he opened his mouth to tell her everything before snapping it shut. Looking at the woman before him, he grappled with the surge of confused feelings that had started the moment he saw her on the train platform. Their steamed buns completely eaten at this point, he reached for a sip of his tea to stall for more time before answering.

"Passing through the void back to your world will erase your memories of the spirit world. I could use magic to show you my memories, but we really can't spare the power at this time. We are expecting another attack any day now, and all magic needs to be funneled towards preparing defenses and cleansing the spirits. As soon as Zeniba can find a way to protect you sufficiently, I will help you return to your world and you will forget all that has happened here. There is no need for you to stay here longer than necessary. In the meantime, I hope you will be comfortable staying here as my guest." Haku stood up and collected the dishes into a pile.

"And what happens if I say no? If I demand to go back right this instant," Chihiro asked as she put her cup in the pile. Haku looked up and met her challenging eyes with his confident ones.

"Then I would remind you that you must have on the same exact clothes that you passed through the void with in order to return to your world. Since I have your clothes locked away, you would have to create a contract with me in order to retrieve them. The contract would prevent you from leaving the area surrounding the bathhouse until Zeniba finds a reasonable solution. Your safety is my top priority Chihiro, I'm not keeping you here out of selfish reasons." Hearing the distaste in his tone, Chihiro felt slightly guilty for being difficult. He held her ticket to returning home and rather than throwing that in her face, he had been courteous enough to make her think the decision had been in her hands the entire time. It was obvious he didn't want to talk about their shared past, but that didn't mean she couldn't figure it out by asking others. Nodding her head in defeat, she offered her hand out to him with a small smile.

"I guess we will see what Zeniba has to say at the end of the week." Chihiro stopped her train of thought before it continued into the possibility of what ifs. Zeniba would find a solution and she would go home. Shaking her hand carefully, Haku returned her small smile.

"In the meantime, where will I stay? I know it's the middle of the night, but it feels like it's first thing in the morning. Also I really got to take a bath," Chihiro babbled as she paced back towards the fire. Haku took a glance at her long legs peeking out from beneath his shirt as her back was turned. Feeling a blush cross his features, he tried to clear his mind before it became even more confused. How he had missed that last night when he was magically changing their clothes was beyond him. Haku had been more concerned with filling her with healing magic and protecting her, than how little clothing he had draped on her. Once he had her asleep in his bed with enough magic coursing through her veins to heal a hospice patient to full health, he had returned to his dragon form and coiled around the bed frame. He had been so tense with the desire to protect her last night that he had even growled at Lin when she had first tried to enter the room. It wasn't until Lin returned with Zeniba this morning that he finally left his perch at her side.

"Days and nights are reversed here so your body has adjusted accordingly while you were sleeping. There is a small guest room off the office that you can use for the time being. I'm sure Lin will try to badger you into being her roommate again, but I would sleep easier knowing you are nearby in case there is an emergency." Haku ushered Chihiro through the office to one of the red curtains along the wall. Pushing it aside, he opened the hidden door behind it. Stepping into the room, Chihiro was pleased to find a fairly large bed and wardrobe within. A single window let in a cool summer breeze and a small fire burned in the fireplace.

"I tend to keep the windows open unless it is raining so that air ventilates throughout the flat, but feel free to close them if you need to. There are fires burning continuously in all of the rooms in case of attack. Fire can be used to kill the Tainted in their shadow form. The bathroom is back off the living room, but there is no kitchen up here. I tend to take my meals down in the kitchen with the rest of the staff. It gives me a good opportunity to check in with them and listen to feedback for improvements. You are welcome to use pretty much anything you find in here, with the exception of the small bath in the bathroom. As you will notice when you walk in, it is covered and cold so leave it be. Use the large bath if you need to soak. When you are done getting ready, we can head downstairs and I will give you the grand tour."

Chihiro nodded her head in understanding and Haku swept out of the room gracefully. Watching the door shut behind him, Chihiro slowly walked over towards the window. The night sky glistened over the river below and a cool wet breeze swept past her. Opening the wardrobe, she examined the myriad of traditional Japanese clothes. Ignoring the colorful kimono, Chihiro choose out a plain green yukata with small blue flower embroidery and a matching a cream and blue obi. Collecting the other pieces and ties necessary, she created a bundle and headed out to the bathroom.

The bathroom was an impressive size, though most of it was consumed by a large steaming tub that could have easily fit twenty people. Setting the bundle down on a counter, Chihiro abandoned her clothes and began washing herself under a shower head. The sound of thrashing water caught her attention and she looked back over her shoulder. The water of the large tub was as smooth as glass, and the sound appeared to be coming from a tiny covered bath in the corner. Remembering Haku's warning, Chihiro ignored it and finished showering. Sinking into the hot bath, she sighed in pleasure.


	5. Chapter 4

**Happy New Years Day everyone! I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has read up to this point. I only have two more scraps of pre-written material and they are events much later in the story, so the updates will come much slower from now on as I write new material. Feel free to write me a message or leave a review if you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas for the story.**

 **Sherona849- Thanks for your reviews! I'm sorry that there is not more romance yet (it is coming, I promise), but I have a few things I wanted to set up first. Hopefully when it all comes together in a few chapters, you will like the results. :)**

 **Chapter 4:**

A sense of nostalgia swept through Chihiro as Haku led her through the bathhouse. There was something magical and familiar about the place that she couldn't quite put her finger on. Truly the magic had nothing to do with the spirits of all shapes and sizes walking about, it seemed to radiate from the building itself. However despite all of its beauty and charming atmosphere, Chihiro could still feel the underlying tension as staff members moved quickly to accomplish their tasks. Many of them stared at her as they went past and bowed deeply before returning to work. The murmuring of "Lady Sen has returned to us" could be heard like a quiet wave sweeping through the bathhouse. Listening intently to Haku's detailed tour, Chihiro tried to note where the most important places were. The foreman stopped them as they passed by the entrance. Bowing deeply, he greeted them, "Good morning Master Haku. We missed you down at breakfast this morning. Ah, Lady Sen, I heard you arrived last night. Welcome home."

Returning a stiff bow, Chihiro felt her brow knit in confusion, but was beat to the punch by a fast approaching Lin. "Chihiro remembers nothing of her time here as Sen, ya dope. Move along now before I consider turning you into coal."

Taking a fast retreat, the Foreman scurried back to his post and Lin took a good look over Chihiro.

"Well what's the verdict? Are you working for the dragon or playing nice for the meantime? Cause if you're workin' we need to get you into a uniform." Haku rolled his eyes at Lin's frank speech as Chihiro smiled. There was something about her straightforward nature that Chihiro instantly liked.

"I will be staying here for a few days as Haku's guest, but I don't mind helping you out. Might as well earn my keep while I'm stuck here," Chihiro replied. Without second thought, Lin grasped her under the arm and with a large smirk began dragging her away, leaving Haku behind.

"You're going to regret that," Haku called after them, but they had already been sucked into the maze of hallways. Finding himself now alone at the entrance, Haku made his way down to the bowels of the bathhouse where the boiler man worked tirelessly. Even though he was master of the bathhouse, he often came downstairs to talk with Kamaji and give him news of the world above. Bringing him news of his claimed granddaughter would be reason enough for a visit, but today he needed something else…

Lin crammed Chihiro into an elevator with what appeared to be a large Radish spirit. Reminding her not to make eye contact, they all went up the elevator to one of the upper floors of the bathhouse. Excusing themselves, she continued to drag Chihiro through the maze of rooms until they reached a door at the end of a hall. Sliding open the door, Lin pulled Chihiro in and slammed it shut behind them. The room was large and cozy with a fair sized bed, wardrobe, nightstand, and desk. Paper screens were slightly open to reveal a short balcony that appeared to connect to other balconies of nearby rooms. Lin threw open the wardrobe and began searching for a uniform that would match her own. Chihiro had grown generously since her visit eleven years ago and now even the bland uniform would show traces of her curves. Lin reminded herself to warn the yunas against recruiting Chihiro for their services. Finally finding a uniform that would fit Chihiro, Lin shoved it into Chihiro's arms before she set to the task of tidying up around the room.

"What will you have me doing today?"

"From now on, you will be my assistant again. Though I manage the staff for the most part I still pick up the odd task here and there. We will start with rounding on all of the departments and see where we are needed." Chihiro dropped her yukata and slipped into the uniform. Lin quickly folded the yukata and set it on her desk before motioning for Chihiro to follow her.

"You said again. Was I your assistant before?" Lin looked back over her shoulder at Chihiro with hooded eyes.

"Yes, but we were more like sisters."

"Could you tell me more about my time here before…? I don't remember any of it…" Lin stopped short and Chihiro ran into her back before catching herself. Lin thought hard for a moment before giving Chihiro a smirk.

"I don't know that much, but I can tell you what little I do know. The rest you will have to find out from others." Nodding her head eagerly, Chihiro waited for her to speak again. Ruffling Chihiro's hair, Lin rolled her eyes before setting pace again towards the elevator. "Once a dope, always a dope…should've known you would still trust so easily. Come on, I'll tell you after we finish working. Maybe doing some of the same chores again could help spark a memory or two. Besides I got a feelin' nobody has cleaned the big tub in a while," she said with a mischievous smile.

Chihiro quickly learned that Lin's smirks were signs of impending mischief and hard work. By the end of the day, she was more exhausted and sore than she had ever been in her lifetime. Lin hadn't been kidding about working hard. They had helped wipe down the floors, cleaned the big tub, and distributed supplies from the inventory in just the morning alone! However, they had had fun as well, as reflected from their mutually wet tops. Chihiro had accidentally splashed Lin with water and without hesitation a water war began leaving both of them sopping in water giggling. Ignoring the inquisitive stares from passing yunas, they cleaned the mess up quickly afterwards. With the bathhouse shut down for the night now, Chihiro had shucked her filthy uniform top happily. She sat in her tank top and slacks dangling her feet off of the edge of Lin's balcony. Returning with bowls of rice and yakitori, Lin offered her a set before sitting down beside her. Digging into the meal happily, Chihiro admired the gorgeous view of the city below. Lin smiled at her before looking out over the river as well.

"We first met in the boiler room some eleven years ago…back when Yubaba ran the bathhouse with an iron fist," Lin began with a distant expression on her face. "I had come downstairs to bring Kamaji his meal and found you among the Susuwatari hauling coal to the furnace. He begged me to bring you to see Yubaba, even bribed me with a roasted newt for it. I took you part of the way up, but had to distract the foreman so you could continue. You returned to the main staff lounge later that evening with Haku. I will never forget it. You were so adamant that you would work hard and no one wanted you in their department. Haku even told the staff that they could roast you for all that he cared, but you were under contract same as everyone else. He made you my assistant and that is when I learned that your new name was Sen. Everyone had to give up their names when they made a contract with Yubaba, and if you couldn't remember your real name when you tried to dissolve the contract then you would be hers forever. Haku and I were among the many spirits who had long since forgotten our true names at the time when you arrived."

Lin stopped for a moment and seemed to think hard for a few moments. Her brow knit together and she looked down at their dangling feet. Chihiro gave her the time to collect herself.

"You were such a klutzy worker, but your heart was in the right place. We got assigned the big tub on your first night working. I went to go fetch us breakfast and when I got back I saw you assisting a giant Stink spirit into the big tub. Our food disintegrated from the stench, but you kept a straight face. I was so proud of you. As I went to grab a broom, you fell into the tub while trying to pull the string to restart the water. You were the one who figured out that there was a thorn in the spirit's side. We tied rope around it and as a staff, we yanked it out. Turns out the spirit was actually an old powerful river spirit who had been polluted by the humans. He was concerned that he would become a Tainted given his level of impurity, so he transformed himself into a Stink spirit to keep everyone away while he hurried to the nearest bathhouse. You helped him return to his natural form and clear the impurities. The next night we had a No Face spirit here and you led it out of the bathhouse when it went on a rampage. I was so worried about you…but right after sunrise you returned with Haku at your side. Apparently he had made a deal with Yubaba that if he returned her missing child she had to dissolve your contract, on the condition that you pass one final challenge. All of the staff and many of the guests came out to watch the test. There were a group of pigs in a pen set up in the main entrance and Yubaba said if you could figure out which pigs were your parents then she would let you all go. You replied that none of the pigs were your parents and you were correct. Your contract dissolved and you and Haku ran away without looking back. We cheered for long after you had left. Haku returned without you and said you had passed through the void back to your world successfully."

"So how did Haku become master of the bathhouse then?" Lin sighed and set aside her empty tray beside Chihiro's.

"Haku had always been Yubaba's second-in-command, but she treated him more like a henchman. Back then, he was indifferent to the suffering of the staff and completed her dirty work without mercy. It was as if his sole purpose in life was to serve Yubaba. When you arrived, I warned you to stay away from Haku, but you always seemed to be asking after him. As far as I could see, he treated you the same as he would any other employee, but there must have been something more between you for him to make that deal with Yubaba on your behalf. As soon as you were safe in the human world, Haku challenged Yubaba to a duel for partial ownership of the bathhouse and won. It seems that somehow you gave him his name back and freed him from whatever magic had been binding him. As co-owner of the bathhouse, he focused on improving the internal bathhouse affairs and renovating parts of the bathhouse structure. Two years ago, Yubaba went to the border to make an important delivery of sorts to the general of the Eastern forces and was killed in a surprise attack by the Tainted. Haku took over full ownership of the bathhouse at that point and freed us all of our previous contracts, but that didn't return names to those of us who had lost them. Everyone you see on staff now has signed new employment terms that gives us proper pay and vacation time. Things are much better now, but if you hadn't come along back then, who knows what might have happened to all of us. That's enough of that kind of talk though. Your eyelids are drooping already, are you sure you don't want to move in with me? I can have another bed brought in."

"No I told Haku I would stay with him for now, but if he gets on my nerves I promise you this will be the first place I run," Chihiro replied as she got up slowly and stretched with a yawn.

"Alright, well take this set of uniforms with you. I expect you to meet me ready to go for a full day's work in the kitchen tomorrow morning. Don't think hiding in the dragon's lair would keep me from finding you." Taking the small bundle of uniforms, Chihiro thanked her and set out for Haku's room. Watching the floors blur by as she went up the elevator, she thought over all that she had learned. Getting off on the top floor, Chihiro absentmindedly headed towards her room and set the uniforms on her bed. She noted the filth on the remainder of her uniform and decided that a bath would be the only way of truly getting clean. Grabbing a nightgown, Chihiro walked towards the bathroom.

Noting the closed door to Haku's room, Chihiro thought about her strange reptile roommate. If they had been close enough for him to willingly stick his neck out for her with Yubaba, then why would he not want her to remember their previous time together? It wasn't as if he was preventing her from asking others about it either, he was just withholding his part, however large, in her past. Maybe if she asked for him to talk to her about it, not show her with magic, he would be more willing to disclose the information. If he really didn't want to talk about it, then why have her stay in his flat instead of letting her move in with Lin? It would have been much easier to avoid her if she wasn't living with him. Why did he want to keep her close? If they were friends before, then why does he not want her to remember their friendship?

Caught up in her thoughts, Chihiro pushed open the bathroom door without knocking. Chihiro jumped squealing at the sight before her, nearly dropping her nightgown in the process. Uncoiled in the hot bath, the white and teal dragon was relaxing. Haku's head rested on the floor at the bath's edge as the rest of his body lay in comfortable loops throughout the tub. No wonder he needed such a large bath tub! Lazily opening his green eyes at her entrance, Haku gave her a wolfish grin displaying his impressive set of sharp teeth. Bowing and apologizing, Chihiro stepped out and slammed the bathroom door shut.

Taking a seat at the table while she waited for the bathroom, Chihiro tried to calm her red cheeks. She had just walked in on a man in the bathtub! Yet at the same time, he was in his dragon form so it wasn't like she had seen anything, but still. Shaking her head to try and dispel any thoughts of Haku in the bath tub, Chihiro missed the sound of the bathroom door opening. The click of claw on wood however snapped her to attention. Getting up out of her seat and turning to bow to Haku in apology, her jaw nearly dropped at the sight of the sopping wet dragon flopping down before the fire with a huff. Giving her a grumble and motion with his tail for her to use the bathroom, Chihiro muttered her thanks and made her speedy escape.

Brushing out the last strands of her wet hair, Chihiro put her dirty uniform in the clothes hamper and slipped into the night gown. She had seen the hints of sunrise wanting to peek in the window and knew it had to be fairly late. How odd that she had already began to think of sunrise as sunset for her day. It had only been a night and yet it felt like she had been here for much longer. Coming out of the bathroom Chihiro was surprised to see Haku still lying out before the fire. This time however, he had a small comb clamped in his teeth and he was miserably trying to undo some of the knots in his fur. Sighing he stared at her for a few moments before continuing.

"Wouldn't it be much easier to use magic to do that," Chihiro asked as she watched him struggle for the brief moment that her eyes left the floor. She was trying to not stare at him, unsure if it was appropriate to look since she didn't know if he was wearing clothes or not. Did it really matter when he was in his dragon form anyways? Dropping the comb, he grumbled at her and rolled his eyes. Letting a giggle escape, Chihiro couldn't deny how cute he looked. Here he was, the ferocious dragon, laying in a wet heap like a drowned cat trying to use a small comb to pull tangles out of his fur.

"I could help you with that if you would like," Chihiro said as she walked closer uncertainly. Lifting her eyes to meet his, he seemed to stare straight into her soul. Picking up the abandoned comb, he tossed it gently at her feet and watched her pick it up. Kneeling beside him, she ran the comb gently through his fur. He smelled of early morning dew and fresh rain water, despite the scented oils in the bath. Working quickly and thoroughly, Chihiro untangled and straightened the fur and mane from his tail to his neck. Somewhere along the way, he had begun to coil up around her and rested his head by her shoulder. His white fur was short and soft and seemed to blend seamlessly into the scales that lined his belly. Sharp talons glistened in the firelight and his horns stood proudly atop his head. Haku's mane felt like soft silk, but the teal color reminded Chihiro of underwater moss. Beginning to work on the tangles on his head, he gave her a short growl as the comb caught on a knot.

"No complaining, Haku. You should be grateful that I'm taking the time to do this," Chihiro chided as she gently whacked his forehead with the comb. Rolling his eyes and grumbling deep his throat, he pushed his head down so she wouldn't have to reach as far. As his mane began to untangle, Chihiro threaded her fingers through it to check it for additional knots. Purring loudly, Haku nudged her side with his head and pushed into her hand.

"Oh well I guess you like that huh." Finishing the last of the knots, she continued running her fingers through the silk-like mane as he purred. Haku closed his eyes in contentment and began to sleep as Chihiro realized how late it was. A weak early morning sun began to rise as she rubbed his head gently. Giving a long yawn, Chihiro made to get up from her seat amongst the coils, but was gently pushed back in place by Haku's tail. Peering back at his face, he gave her a sleepy grin and curled around her tenderly as he tried to go back to sleep.

"Haku, I need to go to bed. Let me out," she said as he grumbled at her and again tucked her into his coils with his tail as if to say that she should just sleep there. Ignoring the soft comfortable warmth that threatened to envelop her, she sat up off the coils. Pushing his tail away, Chihiro managed to stand and put the comb on the mantle.

"Haku, I am serious. If you don't let me out I will make knots in that mane of yours that would take centuries to get out." Getting up slowly, he unwrapped from around her and slowly slunk towards his bedroom grumbling.

"Goodnight," she called after him as he shut his bedroom door with a swish of his tail. Walking back to her room, Chihiro felt the cold breeze upon her warmed skin. She had been comfortable within his coils and probably could have slept there happily, but something about it didn't rest right with her gut. One minute he is eager to send her back to her world and the next he is trying to get her to sleep in his coils. Surely his actions tonight were driven by a sleep deprived state, Chihiro reasoned, but what are his true intentions? As if he wasn't confusing enough, she muttered aloud as she closed her own door. Confident that she had made the right decision, Chihiro climbed into her cold bed and let sleep take her away.


	6. Chapter 5

**I have decided I will try to post biweekly going forward or earlier if I finish the chapter early (i'm nearly done with chapter 7 already). For those of you seeking romance, it is on the way (i promise next chapter you will get something again). I have been having some trouble writing romance right now because I'm in rough spot in my life so it's easier for me to get in the mood to write tense/dark scenes. Thanks for your patience and continued support.**

 **Chapter 5:**

Opening her eyes, Chihiro frowned at the sight of an unfamiliar wooden ceiling above her. Freeing her arms from the tangled sheets, she rubbed her hands across her eyes and looked up again. The same unfamiliar ceiling stared back at her. Wondering where the heck she had gotten off to this time, Chihiro sat up and took a glance around the room. Her memories of the night/day before began to filter back to her. Part of her wanted to believe that all of this had been some strange alcohol induced dream that she would wake up from, but the fact that she was still here in the bathhouse reminded her that this was reality. Crawling out of bed, Chihiro sleepily slunk to the bathroom to start preparing for the day. As she fell into her usual morning wakeup routine, thoughts of her life began floating about her mind. She needed to send word to her work to let them know that she would need more time off. Hopefully Zeniba could get this mess fixed by the end of the week, but what happens if she doesn't? She couldn't keep staying with Haku, that's for sure, but where else could she go if not home to Tokyo? Without any thought, Chihiro got into the uniform as if it were her normal attire. Pulling her long brown hair into a ponytail, she froze as she realized that she had put on the entire uniform without even thinking about it. Obviously she had a past here, and didn't that need exploring? Didn't she deserve to know what happened here eleven years ago? Ignoring the tart after thought that she would forget it all again if she went home, Chihiro finished putting her hair up before setting off to find Lin in the kitchens.

Puffs of flour took to the air as Chihiro happily pounded on the dough atop the kitchen counter. Handing the flattened dough to Lin, she took the next rounded batch from the pile and began to meld it into the flat square shape that she had been instructed to create. Lin took the beaten dough and transformed it into multiple perfectly-sized rolls. Organizing the rolls into neat rows on a cooking sheet, she hummed quietly to herself. When the sheet was full, it would be placed in a special drawer to rest until the bakers retrieved it for baking the following morning. Chihiro finished beating the last mound of dough into submission and stood back to admire her work. Her flour smeared apron and her aching arms reminded her of the hours that she had spent with Lin preparing bread for tomorrow's breakfast. Removing the apron and hanging it up on a rung upon the wall, Chihiro watched Lin form more of the rolls.

"Why don't you take Kamaji and the Susuwatari their lunch? The basket by the door should have a bowl of lunch and a bucket of kompeitō set aside for them. Go down the hall to the right and take the stairs to the boiler room. You can't miss it. I should be finished by the time you return and we can go straight into department rounds." Nodding her head yes, Chihiro grabbed the basket by the door and head out.

"How long are you going to stand outside the doorway, Haku," Lin called over her shoulder. Stepping out of the other kitchen entrance, Haku walked carefully around all of the flour to take a seat on a barstool across from her.

"How did you know I was there?"

"Let's just say that I know you too well. If you wanted to see her so bad, why not just walk in like a normal spirit? She was in a good mood this morning." Haku sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I just wanted to see how she was doing without disrupting her work. She has had a lot to deal with these past few days so I was worried, but she seems to be coping rather well with all of the changes."

"Work is a good way to distract her from thinking about recent events," Lin exclaimed, "and I promise I won't work her to death."

"If I had even the slightest impression that you were going to damage her in any way, I would have kept her locked in my flat. Will you let her know that I would like to have dinner with her tonight when she is done with work?" Shaking her head yes and muttering about how Haku owed her so much that even she couldn't keep track anymore, Lin continued onto the last square of dough. Smiling at her, Haku swiped a bowl of lunch on his way out of the kitchen and headed back to his office.

Chihiro felt a wave of heat wash over her as she stepped into the boiler room and lifted the basket in. Tiny, furry black soot spirits were busy at work carrying coal to the furnace. The multi-handed spirit at the helm busily grabbed different herbs and was preparing a special herbal soak.

"Excuse me, Kamaji? I have brought lunch."

"Eh? Chihiro, is that you? My how you've grown!" Kamaji sent up the herbal order he was working on and got down to give her hug. Feeling his arms around her, Chihiro felt her surprise melt away into a sense of familiarity. She knew this spirit, and he was obviously very fond of her. This room also felt familiar, as if she had been here regularly before.

"I brought you lunch. Should I put it up by your breakfast bowl?"

"Yes of course. I know you must be busy with work right now, but we should find some time to talk. I want to hear all about your adventures since you left us last." Chihiro smiled warmly at him as she switched out the bowls. Walking over to the clamoring Susuwatari, she started tossing out the kompeitō.

"It's kinda hard to tell you when I don't even know where to start. I don't know when I visited this place eleven years ago or even what happened."

"That's ok dear. Haku told me that you didn't remember us." Chihiro felt a little pang of guilt stab her at his words. He reminded her of an affectionate grandfather and she felt sorry that she didn't remember him.

"You seem very familiar to me," Chihiro replied sheepishly as she up ended the basket over the Susuwatari. "All of this seems so familiar to me…like a bad case of déjà vu."

"I would offeryou someherbs known to restore memory, but I doubt it would do you any good. The magic that spans the void is simply too strong to be undone by any magic or medicine I know of."

"It's the thought that counts," Chihiro chirped back as she placed the dirty breakfast bowl into the basket. The sound of a ringing bell interrupted them and Chihiro looked around for the sound. Kamaji frowned and began to quickly yank out drawers from the wall. Grabbing fistfuls of herbs, he quickly started wrapping them into bundles.

"That is the wounded bell. It means that wounded spirits have been spotted across the river and are being ferried across in the buckets as we speak. All staff assigned to emergency infirmary duty will be heading to the back port to receive the injured and take them to the infirmary wing for treatment. Know this sound Chihiro, it is the sound of great suffering and pray that you never have to hear the siren for an incoming attack. Take these herbs and bring them to the main infirmary. They will be needing them shortly." Thrusting the large bundles of herbs into her arms and into her basket, Kamaji began mixing up several mixtures for baths in preparation of the flood of tickets to come. Bowing to Kamaji, Chihiro slipped out the door and ran back to the kitchen. The sound of running footsteps in the distance mirrored her own as she slid into the empty kitchen. Dropping the dirty bowl in the sink and taking off again, she began to run to the main infirmary.

The infirmary was one of the areas of the bathhouse that did not strike her with a sense of familiarity. Located on the same floor as the boiler room, the main infirmary wasonly accessible through a maze of staff back hallways designed to trap those unfamiliar with the layout in containment. The smaller infirmaries were hidden within the maze as well, but Haku had warned her against coming into this area of the bathhouse when they were touring. Quickly navigating the maze, Chihiro came out before the large wooden doors that led to the main infirmary. Pushing the doors open, a wave of heat, steam, and incense poured over her. Stepping inside and quickly closing the doors behind her, Chihiro examined the chaos around her. White cots stood at the ready in neat rows along the walls of the room. A large fire burned in a fireplace at the end of the room, but the light near it seemed to fade away into darkness. While the cots close to the door were bright and warm, the cots closer to the fireplace were dark and stifling with steam. Bustling about in ordered chaos, yunas, frogs, and other staff prepared different mixtures on the carts placed every few cots. Giving instructions to several yuna, a crane spirit calmly presided over the others. The white and red purification robes the crane wore spoke of her status apart from the rest of the staff. Carrying her delivery to her, Chihiro waited to be addressed and bowed low once acknowledged.

"You must be the human girl everyone has been talking about. I am Yui Watari, matron of the infirmary and purification priestess of the nearby Shintōshrine. It is a pleasure to meet you, Chihiro," the crane spoke with a soft chortling voice.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Watari-san. I have brought herbs for the wounded. Where would you like me to put them?"

"Give them to me and I will see that they are properly distributed. Your sister is down on the dock already waiting for the new arrivals. Hurry now to her side." Handing over her basket and bundles, Chihiro followed the other staff members as they hurried through the maze to the back port. The sound of muffled screaming grew louder. Chihiro couldn't help but wonder what mirage of horrors would await her from the sounds drawing nearer. As they approached the exit, Lin came barreling through the entranceway supporting a wounded tanuki spirit. His armor lay askew revealing a crooked right leg and several small red gashes across the other. Running quickly to support his other side, Chihiro startled Lin with the sudden shift in weight. After a momentary pause to look at her, they continued towards the infirmary.

"You shouldn't be here. If Haku knew you were anywhere near here right now, he would never forgive me."

"What Haku doesn't know, can't hurt him. Let's get our guest to the infirmary. If you wish to send me away then that's fine, but it looks like you could use all the hands you can get." Lin grimaced at her, but kept her mouth shut. Glancing at the tanuki between them, Chihiro noticed how his eyelids flickered slightly open as if trying wake. "Honored guest, we are almost to the infirmary. Thank you for your patience."

"A human bathhouse worker...and here I thought this day could not get any stranger. Tell me little one, what is it that you are called here," he asked as his eyes dragged open to stare at her. Chihiro could see the infirmary door up ahead as they rounded the corner.

"I am called Chihiro, sir."

"Ah, well thank you for your assistance. You may call me Okita," he started but cut off with a groan, "Is it as bad as it looks?" He looked down as his damaged legs as they neared the door.

"Nothing a week or two in good care couldn't fix," Lin answered as she reached to open the doors. As the doors swung open and the steam rolled over them, Okita cried out in pain. Pulling them forward, Lin answered Chihiro's unspoken question. "The incense and steamed medicinal water create a burning sensation as it purifies infected wounds caused by the Tainted. The infections must be purified, otherwise the wounds will not heal and the flesh will rot."

Chihiro and Lin helped Okita lay down in one of the fresh cots by the door, as per Watari's orders. Allowing the scurrying infirmary workers to take over, Chihiro gave him a grim smile and wished him well.

"Feel free to come visit me sometime. I'm sure it will get lonely being stuck here for a few weeks." Nodding her head, Chihiro felt Lin take her arm and pull her away. Silently, Lin walked Chihiro through the maze back into the rest of the bathhouse. Finally coming to a stop, she turned and gave a quick glance over Chihiro to check for any blood or signs that she had been near the wounded. Seemingly satisfied, Lin began leading her towards the main entryway.

"With most of the staff down on the back port or in the infirmary, we are extremely short staffed in our front of house operations. I need you to check in with the foreman and help pick up some of the slack, but don't let anyone talk you into taking a yuna's position. You are better than that. I'll check in on you if I can, but if the bathhouse closes for the night and you don't see me around then head back to your room. Haku will have dinner waiting for you," Lin explained as they rounded the corner to the foreman's post.

"Ah, good afternoon Lady Sen," the foreman greeted with a short bow before continuing, "and to you Mistress Lin."

"Good afternoon, foreman. Where are you short staffed right now? Chihiro will be running things while I continue to help in the infirmary." Stopping in front of his stand, he rubbed his chubby fingers over his chin.

"Frankly, the better question is where I am not short staffed. Tubs three and five need washing, the floors on the third floor need polishing, and there are new guests in the locker rooms preparing for their baths." Cutting him off, Chihiro took charge. Stepping up to the platform, she put her hands on the edge.

"I will start the guests in the proper bath if you tell me where to take them. Once they are settled, I will grab a yuna to take over and head over to tubs three and five to clean. If we aren't careful, we will run late on the distribution of the evening meal since most of the kitchen staff is in the infirmary. Shifting three or four workers from polishing duty to food delivery could prevent that delay, but we will have to make it up afterwards before closing down for the night. I'll check back in once we are closer to the dinner rush and go from there." Nodding his head, the foreman gave her a smile in approval and she even saw Lin give her an approving look before she hurried back towards where they came. Taking the challenges in stride, Chihiro got down to business.

Chihiro watched the five massive chicks continue splashing in their pond bath soak. Deciding that more water was necessary, she took a few steps back before running towards the tub edge. Swiftly getting up the sides, Chihiro launched herself for the high floating cord. They had had to move it considerably higher to keep it out of the chick's reach since they had little restraint when it came to water. Barely grasping the cord, she let her body weight be the driving force yanking the cord downward. Fresh water began to pour into the tubs and the chicks chirped happily at her offering. Carefully swinging to the side, Chihiro dropped down outside the tub and took up a broom to sweep some of the excess spilled water towards the grates. Stopping for a moment of air, her eyes drifted back to the happily playing chicks and she felt a smile grace her features.

"Lady Sen, I am here to relieve you of your duties. The foreman is waiting for you," a yuna approached casually taking the broom from her hands. Too tired to correct her, Chihiro gave her a quick nod before bowing to the guests and leaving. The foreman looked worn down, but pleased as he dismissed most of the staff members for the night. Spotting Chihiro, he gave her a large smile.

"Your plans served us well tonight, my lady. Everything ran on time and we caught up with all of the cleaning by closing time. Almost everyone has been dismissed now for the night so there is no need for you to remain. Have a good evening."

"Thanks for your hard work today," Chihiro replied as she took off to look for Lin. True to his word, most of the staff were already done for the day and gathering dinner to bring back to their rooms or the staff lounges on each floor. Unable to find Lin, Chihiro gave up and headed back to Haku's flat.


	7. Chapter 6

**Thanks Sherona849 for letting me know something was wrong with my italics. I use italics to mark dream segments, but it seems that when I copied over the chapters from Microsoft my settings didn't hold. Should be all corrected now, thanks again!**

 **Chapter 6:**

 _Haku sprawled out on the sandy bank of his river and let the water lap over his feet. The gentle sound of flowing water and the distant roar of waterfalls spread across his soul like a soothing balm. The elemental part of his being reached out to touch his calf and feel their connection strengthen. He was strongest when he was in his dragon form submerged within his water, but for now he was content lying in his human form mentally talking to his water. Something was coming and he wanted to be able to see it before it reached his banks. The rustle of cloth came closer and Haku looked towards the sound expectantly. Wearing a gorgeous purple butterfly yukata, Chihiro slowly walked forward as she observantly looked around them. Her long hair was tied up ornately with a single pink flower hair pin and her feet were clothed in traditional white socks within her sandals. Flipping over onto his knees, he openly stared at her. She was so beautiful, like a ray of warm sunshine, as she made her way towards him. His water bubbled excitedly behind him and tried to move up the bank some to get closer to her._

 _"_ _It's beautiful here, Haku. Did you make all of this yourself," she asked quietly. Her voice reminded Haku of tinkling bells. Taking a look around himself, he admired his handiwork before nodding his head yes. Not that he could have spoken if he wanted to, something about her always seemed to take his breath away, even more so now than eleven years ago. Chihiro stopped an arm's length away from him and seemed to look over his shoulder at the water behind him. Standing up to his full height, he noted how her eyes stood just above his shoulder when she was wearing the thick soled sandals._

 _"_ _Will you introduce me to your river? It seems eager to meet me." Haku looked back at the bubbling water. It was indeed happy to see her again and expressed its desire for her to come in. It was even warming the water temperature near them considerably so she might be more comfortable in its cool depths. Hesitant to bring her in, he warned the river that she could not be held in the same manner as the last time she was within its grasp. Humans were so fragile…_

"Haku," she questioned, "Haku, can you hear me?"

Chihiro hesitantly called out to Haku and asked if he could hear her before she leaned over and shook his shoulder. Jumping from his seat with a start, he looked around lost for a moment before settling on her. She had found him fast asleep at his desk amongst the mounds of papers. Running a shaking hand through his hair, Haku stepped away from his desk.

"Sorry about that. I was just a little tired after answering the wounded bell this afternoon."

"You were there," Chihiro asked, grateful that she had not been caught. Haku had told her on their tour that it wasn't safe for her to go into the mazes or go to the infirmaries since wounded spirits could degrade into Tainted spirits at any time and become a danger. However, he showed her the way to the main infirmary in case she should need to seek treatment for an ailment during her time here.

"Yes, I help with the wounded whenever there is a wounded bell. I heard on the way upstairs that you kept the rest of the bathhouse running in my absence, thank you."

"It wasn't a problem. I actually enjoy helping out. There is such an assortment of spirits that come through here," Chihiro admitted as she followed Haku into the dining area. Steamed fish, rice and vegetables laid in an appealing arrangement on two plates upon the table. Haku slid out a chair for her and waited for her to sit before taking a seat himself.

"Don't let Lin know that you are enjoying the work or she will never let you leave," he joked with a smile. Chihiro gave him a small smile in return before biting into the meal. Haku turned to his own meal and tried to think of what to say.

"Haku, can I ask you a question," she asked between bites. Nodding his head yes, he waited for her to continue. "Were we friends before…you know when I visited here last time?"

"Yes, I would say we were fairly good friends before. Why do you ask?" Haku bit into the tender pieces of fish as he watched her struggle to find the right words.

"Well Lin was telling me about my visit here last night and there are some gaps in the story. I was hoping you might be able to fill those in for me." Haku frowned and deliberately looked down at his plate.

"I honestly don't like talking about my time as Yubaba's henchman. It is not something I am proud of or care to openly discuss."

"You don't have to talk about what you did for her, just tell me how we met or something. How did we become friends?" Haku ground his teeth in frustration. He couldn't tell her all that he knew or show her with magic without the risk of revealing too much. She could get so easily pulled into this war and into all of the happenings of the bathhouse. He wanted a better life for her…she deserved the right to return to her peaceful life in the human world.

"Why don't you tell me what Lin has told you first, that way I don't waste time repeating information you already know?" Chihiro felt like Haku had side stepped her questions gracefully, but determination to beat him at his own game set in. Telling him all that Lin had told her, Chihiro watched his brow furrow in thought. Avoiding her gaze, he looked out towards the balcony where the night sky was beginning to wane into morning. Choosing his words carefully, he slowly began to weave in the missing holes.

"Lin did a fairly good job of informing you… We met shortly after you and your parents stumbled into our world. I had just returned from a mission for Yubaba and was on my way inside when I heard your sneakers squeaking on the bridge. When I went to investigate, you were leaning over the rail, admiring the train passing by in the canyon below as your parents ate the food laid out for the spirit's awakening. As part of my contract with Yubaba I had given up my name, my memories, and my water, but I recognized you. I remembered your name, even when I couldn't remember my own. I told you to run away, but you didn't make it across the river before the spirits began to awaken. Humans who pass through the void must eat spirit food in order to ground themselves here or else they begin to disappear. Yubaba turned your parents into pigs for eating the spirit's food, but I was able to save you with a berry before you disappeared. I snuck you into the bathhouse and told you to seek employment under Kamaji. I thought if you worked for Kamaji for a few days I would have time to try and free your parents, but he sent you to Yubaba. She signed you into a contract and I was forced to pretend that you were nothing more than another common employee. Once everyone was asleep that night, I took you to see your parents and helped you remember your name."

"While you were dealing with the stink spirit, I was sent to steal Zeniba's magic seal for Yubaba. I managed to return in the night, but was gravely injured by the curse placed upon the seal. I don't remember well what happened then, but Yubaba's son Boh was turned into a mouse by the curse and you were there keeping me from falling into the pit that we kept the Tainted spirits in before disposing of them. I woke up later beside Kamaji feeling better than ever. He told me you had gone to return the magic seal to Zeniba in hopes of breaking the curse. I went to Yubaba and made her a deal in exchange for you and your parent's freedom I would return her son. Once she agreed, I flew to Zeniba's cottage expecting to find you tied up somewhere crying, but instead you were happily having tea with Zeniba as if you were the best of friends. Zeniba forgave me for acting against her and we flew back to the bathhouse. On the flight, you spoke my true name and Yubaba's magic over me was broken. The rest of it should be history, so they say."

A period of silence passed as Chihiro thought over everything. Haku got up and sat before the fire with a cup of tea. Looking back at Haku, Chihiro felt like she was truly seeing him for the first time since arriving in the spirit world. His strong features were furrowed in thought as he recalled those memories and the firelight twinkled in his bright green eyes. The way he curled his body up to sit before the fire reminded her of when he had curled in that same exact spot in his dragon form the night before. There was a sort of tension about him that left Chihiro with the slightest suspicion that there was more to it than what he had just told her, but she decided to let it go for now. Standing up, Chihiro grabbed a cup of tea before slowly sitting down next to Haku and staring into the fire.

"I can't imagine going through all of that," Chihiro spoke absentmindedly as she gazed into the tendrils of fire, "not unless I loved the person." Haku's eyes shot up to stare at her with shock and though he might not have realized it, hope. Hope that perhaps she did feel something and that maybe there was still something there hidden beneath the dust of time and magic. "Then again, I can't imagine the sensation of flying either. I've always been scared of heights," Chihiro chuckled quietly breaking whatever spell had fallen over them, "guess I found the courage to do a lot of things last time I was here."

Hiding his crestfallen feelings, Haku pasted a thoughtful smile on his face. "I might not be able to help you recover your memories from last time, but I could take you out for a fly if you wanted to experience that again." Chihiro gave Haku a small smile before getting up and walking towards the door.

"Lin already tried that tactic my first night back by having me scrub the big tub, but thanks for the offer. If I get the sudden urge to have my feet leave the ground, I'll let you know," Chihiro replied saucily as she leaned against the door frame. Haku's smile brightened as he smirked back at her.

"Don't say I didn't warn you about working for her. She is a tireless master."

"Speaking of work, I need to send a message to my company in Tokyo about extending my leave of absence for the week."

"Unfortunately with the war going on, lines of communication and transportation between the worlds have been cut. The Capital doesn't want any of the Tainted leaking into the human world if it can be avoided. Only spirits who are bound to the human realm can move freely between our worlds, but most of them only have the power to remain in their elemental form when on the other side. I'm not saying it would be impossible, but it will be very difficult to find someone to pass over your message." Nodding her head in understanding, Chihiro frowned slightly. Her associates at work would become concerned if she didn't notify them, but it might not be possible with the war going on. Haku saw Chihiro's frown and felt a twinge of pity for her. She had put her life on hold by coming here, and here he was not making it any easier. The least he could do was try to find someone to pass a letter.

"If you give me the letter by late morning, I can see if any of our guests could pass the message. Would it just be the one letter to your company or is there someone else you need to notify," Haku asked.

"Just a letter to the company will be more than enough. There is no one else who will notice I am gone."

"Won't your parents be missing you? Or a boyfriend?" Chihiro smiled grimly at Haku before fiddling with her fingers.

"My parents died two years ago in an accident, so there is no family left for me. I haven't had time to date with work and all," Chihiro mumbled off as she awkwardly ran her fingers through her hair. Haku felt his heart go out to her. The way she stood leaning against the door frame looking down at her feet made her seem all the more isolated.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did they die?"

"Car accident. They were killed on impact, but not me. All I had was a few small bruises and a weird burn mark from where my hair tie broke against my wrist. Everyone kept telling me that I should have been dead, but somehow I made it out alright." Haku felt his eyebrows rise as he listened to her. He remembered the purple hair tie that the others had made for her and the magic cast upon it to protect her. If the tie had broken then it meant that all of its magic had been released to save her. If it wasn't for their forethought she probably would have died as well, but she didn't need to know that. The thought of Chihiro dying left Haku with a bitter taste in his mouth. "Sometimes I feel guilty that I survived the crash and they didn't…"

"Your parents wouldn't want you feeling guilty about their deaths. It wasn't your fault," Haku reassured her. Standing up, he walked over to her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. Looking up at him, she nodded her head with a sigh.

"I know that, but it's so hard to let go. Sometimes I catch myself thinking about Nakamura-san and Tsukasa-san as well. Maybe they wouldn't have died if I had just stayed in Tokyo instead of coming back for the stupid class reunion."

"Maybe, or maybe it would have happened all the same, and Nakamura-san would have been on his way to Tokyo to hunt you down anyways. You can't change the past Chihiro, only the future." Taking his words with a grain of salt, Chihiro painted a small smile on her face.

"Thanks for listening Haku. I think I'm going to go to bed early tonight. I'm sure there are lots that will need to be done tomorrow and I still got to write that letter. Good night." Sliding out from under his hand, Chihiro walked slowly to her room and closed the door behind her. Haku whispered goodnight as he stared at the closed door. Turning back to his desk, he examined the mounds of documents awaiting his attention. With a sigh, Haku sat down to work into the wee hours of morning.

Slipping the letter to her company into her hands, Chihiro stepped out into Haku's office. Noting that the mound of papers had decreased considerably in size, she approached him slowly as he continued his work.

"Good morning, Haku. I brought you the letter," Chihiro greeted him. Looking up from his work, Haku greeted her with a smile and took the letter gently from her hands.

"I will see about getting this sent off. Lin left a message saying that you are to report to the third breezeway as soon as you were awake."

"Well I guess I will head there now then. Have a good day Haku," Chihiro called over her shoulder as she slipped out the door. Haku watched the closed door for a moment before grasping the letter tightly in his hand and frowning at it. Opening his top right desk drawer, he slipped the letter inside and returned to his work.

Chihiro found Lin bustling among the billowing white sheets of the third breezeway. The hall was located on one of the higher floors of the bathhouse, overlooking the big tubs, and was used to dry sheets during the summer time. The windows were all propped open to allow the gentle summer breeze to filter through the hanging materials. Lin was giving instructions to two other staff members on how the wet sheets from the wash needed to be hung when Chihiro walked up.

"Good morning, Chihiro. Great timing. You and I will be folding the dry sheets and dispersing them to different departments via the chutes." Following Lin to the set of sheets closest to the windows, they began unpinning the material from the wires.

"I thought I remembered seeing dryers down in the laundry room. Why would you hang dry these when you could put them into a dryer?"

"It saves energy and magic to hang dry the sheets instead of use the dryer. Now make sure that fold is crisp, otherwise it will get all tangled up when it goes down the chute." Defining her fold again, Chihiro closed the space between her and Lin, cutting the sheet size in half. Grabbing the bottom, she repeated the folding until the sheet was a manageable square that could be set aside in a basket. Together Lin and Chihiro folded through the sheets as they talked about their nonexistent love lives.

"I agree with you. It is so hard to meet new people when you work long hours," Chihiro remarked as they started to collect the folded piles of sheets in a cart.

"I think it is more like all of the good guys are already taken," Lin huffed as she pushed the cart forward. Chihiro picked up more of their stacks and piled them into the cart as Lin continued.

"I wouldn't go that far. There has got to be someone out there for everyone."

"Since when did you become a hopeless romantic," Lin asked with a sarcastic retort.

"Probably around the same time you became a pessimistic spinster," Chihiro threw back. Stopping in front of the chutes, Lin began tossing bundles of folded sheets to Chihiro so she could drop them down the individual chutes to different departments.

"Six hundred and thirty two years old is still considered a maiden here, thank you very much. Besides, I'm nowhere near as old as your dragon and he's still single."

"Haku has been busy running the bathhouse and dealing with the war. I doubt he has even thought about finding a girlfriend with everything on his mind." Lin smiled at her and brought them around to the next wall of chutes.

"He's missed plenty of opportunities, but everyone here knows he's waiting for just the right one. I guess he's as much of a hopeless romantic as you are," Lin said with a suggestive smirk. Chihiro rolled her eyes at her and threw the next batch of folded sheets down a chute.

"Just because we are both waiting for the right person, doesn't make us hopeless romantics. It just means we don't want to waste time fooling around with people we know aren't right for us."

"Fine, fine… change of subject. Tomorrow is my scheduled day off and I was going to go into town to do some shopping. Why don't you come with me? We can scour the markets for unusual trinkets and flirt with uninterested boys at a bar." Chihiro laughed and waited for the last bundle of folded sheets to be tossed to her. Taking a step back to brace herself against the chute opening, she watched Lin haul up the heavy load.

"Be honest Lin. You just want someone to drink with you after you get turned down by the bartender," Chihiro joked with a chuckle. With a playful smirk, Lin launched the heavy bundle of folded sheets at Chihiro's chest. Catching it, Chihiro felt her center of balance shift back under the burden and the back of her knee press against the chute opening. Unable to keep her balance, Chihiro screamed as she went over the edge into freefall within the chute. Screaming her entire way down, Chihiro dropped out the end of the chute into a large basket of folded sheets. Laying there catching her breath, she looked around at tall basket edges. Thanks to her clawing in freefall, some of the sheets had become unfolded and landed on her. Climbing towards the edge of the basket, Chihiro heard the door slam open.

"Chihiro," Lin yelled as she ran towards the basket. Popping her head up over the edge, Chihiro couldn't help the impish grin on her face as she fought back laughter. One look at her ridiculous state and Lin felt laughter start to mask her worry. A few of the sheets had wrapped around her head and body like a veil leaving only her face peeking up over the edge of the basket. Chihiro was simply too short to get out of the basket by herself.

"Does this mean we have to refold these sheets," Chihiro asked with a growing smirk as she tried to contain her laughter. Before either of them could break into laughter, the door slammed opened behind Lin. Breathing heavily, Haku rushed into the room calling out Chihiro's name in worried voice. Spotting her under the sheets peeking up over the edge of the basket, he felt his confusion grow. Haku's dramatic entrance and worried expression had been the last straw to Lin and Chihiro who broke out in fits of laughter. Between fits of laughter, Lin tried to speak as Haku walked quickly to the edge of the basket and lifted Chihiro out, sheets and all.

"She just *snicker* fell down *laughter* the chute *chuckle, snort* stuck in the basket *chortle* and the first thing she asks is if we have to refold the sheets?! *laughter* Then you come in here-," Lin lost her sentence to laughter. Chihiro didn't even try to speak as she laughed. Haku, failing to see what was funny, felt his irritation grow as he listened to their laughter and removed the sheets from around Chihiro. Tossing the sheets at Lin, Haku eyed Chihiro for injuries, but saw none.

"I was so worried something happened to you Chihiro. You have to be more careful than that," Haku admonished her as she stifled her laughter.

"Sorry Haku," Chihiro managed between her lingering snickering.

"You are fine, right?" Chihiro nodded her head yes and Haku shot Lin a piercing glare. Giving him an apologetic smile between her snickering, Lin saw him roll his eyes and walk away from them. As soon as the door closed behind him, they both broke out into laughter. Catching their breath some time later, Lin tossed one end of a sheet at Chihiro and motioned for her to begin folding.

"Yes you dope, the sheets have to be refolded and don't you dare tell Haku I sent you down the chute on accident."

"On accident? I thought you were trying to end me," Chihiro joked as they threw a folded sheet into the basket and reached for another sheet. Shaking her head with a smile, Lin tossed the other end of the sheet to Chihiro.

"Why would I end my supposed drinking buddy," she asked with a wink. Their mutual laughter rose up through the bathhouse floors mixing with the gentle plucking of koto and the hiss of steam. Moving quickly back to the herb merchant he had been bartering with when he had heard the scream, Haku apologized for the delay and continued their negotiations.


	8. Chapter 7

**Happy Snow day everyone! I am happy to post early since I've had the luck of 4-5 inches of snow trapping me and my computer in my best friend's apartment for the past 3 days. I found this chapter super hard to write and if it comes across as choppy, I apologize. I recently found inspiration for the next major part of the story and have been writing bits of that rather than this chapter. I wrote some of the next chapter already (might even be done by the end of the week at this rate), and all I could think was "NO HAKU DON'T DO IT!" (that's my only hint to you). Probably no romance next chapter, but if you have suggestions that you would like to read for the future chapters feel free to PM me or send a review.**

 **Shout out to jepsi, LuciaKata, and Sherona849- Thank you for the reviews! It's hard to explain the excitement and joy I feel when I get an email saying I got a new review/follower/favorite. You guys are the best and inspire me to keep at it. Thanks again.**

 **Chapter 7:**

Yui Watari walked gracefully towards the staff lounge on the fifth floor where it was rumored Lin frequently had lunch. Ignoring the turned heads from the nearby frogs, she pushed open the door and found the girl she had been looking for sitting at a lunch table within. Putting down her cup of tea, Lin stood up to warmly greet her.

"Is there something I can help you with Watari-san? It is unusual for you to wander this far from the infirmary or the shrine," Lin asked curiously. Chihiro watched them both from her seat at the lunch table as the yunas sitting nearby continued their conversations.

"I came to ask your permission to borrow your assistant for the afternoon. I need some help preparing wound poultices since my staff is occupied with patient care." Lin hesitated in answering and looked back over her shoulder at Chihiro. The idea of exposing her to any of the anguish that rested in the infirmary repulsed her, but if there was anything she knew about Yui Watari it was that each decision she made was deliberate and made with forethought. She was always five steps in front of everybody, including Haku, and that meant that she had a plan…a plan that apparently included Chihiro.

"I could spare some time if you need an assistant…," Lin started before being cut off.

"Lin, we both know that you are needed elsewhere in the bathhouse at the moment. I promise she will be safe with me and that I will return her in a timely fashion without Haku's notice."

"I don't mind helping her out," Chihiro added from behind Lin, "the infirmary doesn't scare me." Lin felt caught between a rock and a hard place, and watched Chihiro put her dishes away before returning to them. Nodding her reluctant consent, Lin tried to bury her unease at the situation under her trust and confidence in the matron of the infirmary.

The crane spirit moved gracefully through the halls in such a manner that Chihiro found it hard to look away. Surely if the spirit had been a human, she would have been a model. Her white and black feathers moved softly among her traditional purification robes. As Watari-san dipped her head down in a bow before passing into the maze, Chihiro caught a glimpse of the bright red feathers atop her head. Her comparison to that of a normal Japanese crane was brought up short however as they turned off to go to a smaller infirmary. Keeping pace, Chihiro noted the turns and how complicated this path was.

"Where are we going, Watari-san?"

"Please call me Yui when we are not amongst the staff. They need the formality and hierarchy to work efficiently, but you are not bound by the same rules. To answer your question, the hospice ward is where all of the poultice supplies are kept. Since we only have one patient there it will also be quieter than trying to work in any of the other infirmary wards."

"Hospice?"

"The hospice ward is designed for spirits on their deathbeds to die in peace. However most of the staff is too frightened to attend this ward since its patients are likely to become Tainted shadows at any moment. Most of the time I come here alone between ward walks to do what has to be done." A black door with a warning written on its frame marked the entrance to the hospice ward. Pulling open the door, Yui watched Chihiro's expression as she stepped within.

The room reminded Chihiro of a sauna with its hot steam, herb smell, and low visibility. Her body was instantly covered in a sheen of sweat as she took another hesitant step forward. Closing the door behind them, Yui led her forward through the steam.

"How come you are not afraid like the others," Chihiro asked as they approached a wall of crated herbs and supplies. Yui's black eyes flashed with compassion as she looked away into the steam.

"I do not fear death," she replied calmly and Chihiro turned to look at her. Smiling to herself Yui continued, "for he has been a close companion of mine for as long as I can remember." Chihiro watched Yui take down three of the boxes and start taking out supplies. Yui looked up at Chihiro and smiled at her slightly scrunched expression.

"You should have nothing to fear coming here as well. Think of it this way, if a spirit managed to transform into a Tainted shadow here amongst the strongest purification waters and incense we have to offer, then it's safe to presume they would be powerful enough to escape the maze protecting the bathhouse from the infirmaries. You would likely be apprehended or killed in its rampage. There is no point to living our short lives in fear." Chihiro frowned, but couldn't deny her logic. Picking up some of the chosen supplies, Chihiro waited for Yui to put the boxes back before following her deeper into the steam. They chose a not so hot and steamy corner and sat down on a wooden bench to work. The matron of the infirmary showed her skills in poultice making as she taught Chihiro and they worked together in amicable silence for a short while.

"Tell me about the patient that is here," Chihiro started as her hands weaved together the herbs and bandages.

"There isn't much to tell. He arrived alone seemingly from nowhere and collapsed after passing through Haku's water barrier. He hasn't awoken since, but I'm not surprised with how severe his wounds are. Even I don't believe he will make it through the next few days, but that doesn't mean we can't make his remaining time more bearable." Using up the last bit of the supplies, they set aside the poultices. Picking up two of them, Yui began to walk through the steam in a new direction.

Quickly following after her, Chihiro nearly lost her in the growing darkness and steam. In the darkest corner of the room, there rested a tall lump of dirty white fur on a cot. Coming up beside Yui, Chihiro recognized the form as that of a fox spirit. As Yui removed the previous poultices from his chest, she could see white fur clinging to the remains of the slashed chest. The deep diagonal cuts crossed his chest and bled a mixture of black impurities and red blood with each breath he took. His ears twitched atop his head, but his eyes remained shut. Yui applied the two poultices across his chest before gently pulling away. His dirty, wet white fur gleaned with sweat, blood, and the remains of lingering impurities. His purple tobi trousers were stained with blood and torn in several places. Chihiro could see why everyone thought he wasn't going to make it, yet as she put a comforting hand on his arm she could feel a stubborn spark of life remaining.

Out of the corner of her eye, Yui watched Chihiro's hand reach out to touch the injured fox spirit. The compassion was evident on her face, and as Yui had predicted, the weeping impurities did not seem to affect Chihiro as they did her and all other spirits. A spirit's impurities could corrupt other spirits that touched them even in their weakened state if they were not cleansed quickly, but Chihiro hadn't even flinched when touching the infectious surface. Yui watched for a few more minutes to make sure her theory was correct. Walking to the nearby sink, Yui washed her hands of the impurities before encouraging Chihiro to do the same. If Chihiro was not affected by spirit impurities unless they were in full Tainted form, then she would be invaluable to the infirmary. Chihiro could touch patients that the staff were hesitant to approach and maybe turn some of them around for good. Turning on her heel, Yui set off to pick up the other poultices.

"Come on, Chihiro. We still have two other wards to visit and restock before Haku finds out you are not tailing Lin. I already have the foreman covering for us should he come hunting in this direction, but it's better to be safe than sorry." Grabbing the remaining poultices, Chihiro caught up with Yui and gave the hospice ward a final glance as the door shut behind them.

"Chihiro! Come over here! I thought you had forgotten about me since you hadn't visited, but here you are. Welcome to the secondary infirmary," Okita called from his bed by the door as they entered. Yui took the remaining poultices from Chihiro and walked off to tend other patients as Chihiro walked over to Okita.

"I'm sorry I could not come sooner, but I am not supposed to be down here to begin with. Haku says it is too dangerous."

"The dragon is right. It is too dangerous for a meddlesome human like yourself, but that's not going to stop you, right?" Chihiro smirked at him and took a seat at the foot of his bed.

"How's your legs doing?"

"The crane says I can be up on crutches within a week, but for now I get to scoot around here in a wheelchair. It has forced me to get more creative with my pranks, but the nurses here don't have a sense of humor," he scrunched his nose with mischief, "but I hear that you have been causing all sorts of trouble upstairs. Quite the gossip, really."

"You shouldn't be giving the nurses a hard time. They are just trying to help you," Chihiro scolded as she neatened the blanket at the foot of his bed. In the corner of her eye, she could see the nurses frowning at them, more specifically at Okita.

"It's hard to stay cooped up in this room when I'm used to spending every day moving freely under the stars. I was a scout for the Southern Imperial Regiment when I was injured, but it won't be long before I'm released back into the service. I'll be gone before too long and everyone can go back to their boring routines. I'm surprised most of the spirits stuck in here haven't died of boredom," he finished with an eye roll.

"The nurses tell me that you have been quite the troublemaker, Okita-san," Yui interrupted as she walked over with a clipboard. Making a few notes, she began her assessment as Okita pulled back the sheets to reveal his legs. The wounds had bled through the bandages with blood and black impurities, and the broken leg had swollen considerably. Yui began unwrapping the bandages, revealing the sickly leg beneath. Chihiro couldn't help but stare at the disturbing site as Okita happily answered Yui's questions.

"Chihiro, you should head back to Lin now. It's getting late and I don't want to have to explain to Haku why you aren't where you should be. She should be near the kitchen at this hour, hurry along now." Nodding her head to Yui, Chihiro muttered her goodbyes to Okita and began to walk out of the infirmary. Looking around, she could see many spirits with different injuries suffering quietly as staff moved among them.

"Oy Chihiro, you better come visit me again! I'll be better soon and we can go for walks around the room while we strategize how to turn this bathhouse upside down," Okita called after her with a smile.

"I look forward to it," she answered loudly and almost laughed at the looks of horror passing over most of the nurses present. Turning on her heel, Chihiro let the door close behind her before leaning back upon it with a sigh. The images of all the wounded seemed to run through her mind and her shoulders felt much heavier now than they had the day before.

Night was beginning its daily wean into daylight as Chihiro sat out on the balcony sipping her tea. Her wet hair from showering earlier clung to her scalp and chilled as a breeze swept past her into the empty flat. Pulling her thin green night gown around her absentmindedly, she adjusted her precarious position atop the rail. Refusing to look down, Chihiro dangled her feet over the edge above the canyon that separated town from bathhouse. The silence seemed to be waiting for the train to make its daily one way trip east. She looked out past the town, over the river, towards the dark unknown. Somewhere out there, spirits were fighting unimaginable horrors and yet the rest of her world would never know their sacrifice. Nobody would care when spirits like Okita died on the line of fire or what became of the nameless fox spirit dying in the bowls of the bathhouse and all of it seemed so unfair. Images of the wounded spirits and the deaths of Nakamura-san and Tsukasa-san replayed over and over in her head. The tolls of war were too high. Setting aside her cup onto the rail, she wondered if going back to ignorance was what she really wanted. Maybe there was something she could do here.

Haku was surprised to see Chihiro sitting on the balcony rail given her supposed fear of heights. Setting the papers aside that he was carrying, he wondered what she was up to. There was something about her distant sad expression that struck him uncomfortably.

"A thousand yen for your thoughts," Haku asked her quietly. Startling at his voice, Chihiro knocked her cup off the rail into the abyss below. Haku felt his heart lurch up into his throat as he saw her lean forward to try and catch the falling glass. Faster than he ever thought possible, he closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her middle. Feeling the hit of adrenaline spin through his veins, he lifted her roughly off the rail and clutched her into his chest for a few moments before releasing her. His body felt like it was on fire from the contact, but the gentle breeze eased it away.

"Sorry I didn't mean to startle you," Haku looked at her sheepishly.

"No I probably shouldn't have been sitting up there anyways. Thanks for uh grabbing me," Chihiro replied awkwardly as she ran a tentative hand through her wet hair. They stood there facing each other for a few silent moments as neither made eye contact.

"Please allow me to pour you another cup of tea since I caused you to spill your last one." Nodding her consent, Chihiro followed Haku back inside and sat down on the sofa to wait. Bringing her a cup, he noticed her wet hair. Handing her the glass, he quickly fetched a towel and threw it over her head.

"Haven't you ever heard that it's not good to go outside with wet hair? Here let me help you dry it." Haku rubbed gentle circles on her head with the towel as she took sips of her cup of tea. They sat in amicable silence until her hair was reasonably dry. Returning the damp towel to the bathroom and grabbing a brush, Haku held it out to her in question. Nodding her head yes, Chihiro let her eyes return to the fire and her mind to wander. Brushing her hair in long gentle strokes, Haku slid his fingers through her tangles.

"What were you thinking about that so enraptured your attention tonight?" Chihiro hesitated before setting aside her cup of tea and sighing.

"I was thinking about how many spirits are suffering from this war…" Haku paused for a moment to think over his response before he continued brushing out her hair.

"The war has been going on long before our lifetimes and will continue on long after we return to the ashes of creation. For there cannot be good without evil. The way I see it, the spirits we heal are our efforts towards a better world."

"Is that how you find peace with all of this? You try to find the good in every situation?" Setting aside the brush, Haku began organizing her hair into three tendrils before braiding them.

"I have to make a lot of hard decisions as owner of the bathhouse, but yes, I find some semblance of peace in that manner."

"If you are so at peace with yourself, then why haven't I seen you truly smile once since I've gotten here? Or are dragons simply incapable of smiling?" Freezing in his braiding, Haku bit on his lower lip in thought. Chihiro turned slightly to glance back at him and he gave her a feeble smile. She had to stifle a laugh at his attempt. Rolling his eyes at her, he admitted defeat.

"I suppose you are right. I've been a little too consumed with my work these past few weeks. If the borders could be reestablished, then the war could be managed by the more powerful spirits in the capital, as it was before the recent outbreak. But until then all of the countryside is on alert, including me." Haku resumed his braiding and tied it off carefully before moving around the couch to sit beside Chihiro. Looking over at him, she smirked as she cocked her head at him.

"Well if you keep frowning every day like this, that handsome face of yours will get stuck in a frown forever," Chihiro muttered with fake confidence and the slightest bit of a pout. As he stopped and thought over her words, his small smile grew into a mischievous smirk. Giving her a toothy grin he answered her, "Oh, really? I think I will just have to fix that then."

Catching her in surprise, Haku leaned over and began tickling her. Caught off guard, Chihiro kicked out as she tried to push him away and choked upon her laughter. Tickling her still, Haku stealthily avoided her kicks and closed the distance between them. Smiling at her, he teased her mercilessly until she went on the offensive and tried to tickle him. With the tickle war on in full swing, neither side heard the door open or a person entering the room. The sound of a person clearing their throat loudly cut through their laughter in a heartbeat. Instantly freezing, both looked towards the sound like deer in headlights.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

Lin looked at Chihiro's peacefully sleeping face and smiled sadly. Things would have been so much easier if Haku had been honest right from the start, but now everyone was caught up in his web of lies. Everyone involved truly had Chihiro's best interests at heart, but eventually everything would be revealed and the cost might be greater than anyone could have imagined. It was almost funny how the person who insisted that Chihiro be left in the dark for her safety was also the person compromising it. Lin flashed back to hours before when she had gone up to Haku's flat to fetch Chihiro for a sleepover, the perfect cover so they could slip away unnoticed from the bathhouse first thing in the morning…

"Lin," Chihiro exclaimed as she had pushed Haku off of her. Somehow he had gotten the upper hand over her and had most of her body pinned with his own. Her nightgown had pooled high enough in their wrestle for dominance to be scandalous and Haku felt a blush cross his cheeks at being caught in such a position. Especially by the spirit who considered Chihiro her sister.

"Get your things Chihiro. I can't believe you forgot we were having a sleepover tonight," Lin spoke harshly and Chihiro muttered her apologies before scampering off to her room. Turning a glare to Haku, Lin nearly hissed at his sheepish look.

"I can't believe you. You know what's at stake and this is what you do? You should be ashamed of yourself." Turning away, Lin bit her tongue to keep herself from giving him the tongue lashing he deserved. Leaving him there to drown in his thoughts, Lin waited patiently for Chihiro to throw together a small handful of clothes before dragging her away. Calling goodnight to Haku on her way out, Chihiro felt the tension around Lin. As they stepped into the lift together, Lin offered her a small smile.

"Sorry if I scared you back there. I needed to make Haku believe I was mad at him so he would not come looking for us tomorrow. He always avoids me the day after we fight," Lin clumsily lied. Though it was true that he did always avoid her the day after an argument, she had not been faking her irritation with him. Deciding that disciplining the dragon could wait until after their little adventure, Lin hit the elevator switches for the lowest floor. "Why don't we go raid the kitchen for dango and green tea before bed? We can't have much of a sleepover tonight since we have to be out before they light the lanterns tomorrow, but at least we can eat some snacks."

Perking up at the offer, Chihiro smiled back at Lin, "Won't the chefs be quite mad with us?"

"Only if they catch us," Lin replied with a mischievous smirk.

Chihiro tightened the straps of her sandals and followed quickly after Lin. The sun was nearly faded, calling forth the beginning of the day. The summer breeze spread the blue fabric of her day dress behind her and she clutched her shawl tighter to prevent it from meeting a similar fate. Her small sling bag, courtesy of Lin, waited emptily for the profits of the shopping day. Slipping through the side garden and the old servant's hatch, they walked silently towards the bridge. As they crossed over, Chihiro could hear the rattling call of the train below and she was tempted to look over the side to see its daily passing. Lin however gently grasped her hand and kept her moving into the small town that was beginning to fill with moving shadows.

"What's happening," Chihiro asked nervously as they began to move down the main road. Looking back over her shoulder, she could see the bathhouse light up in welcome and the lanterns throughout town flame up with light.

"The awakening. Throughout the spirit world, there are areas near the portals to the human world that essentially overlap realms. Within these areas, the structures and geography in one world melt into that of the other to some degree at certain times of day. The towns on either side of the river and the river itself in this region are prime examples of this. For example, while the sun is up the river becomes grass because in the human world that is what is actually there, however once the sun disappears the river returns to its full form. Unbound spirits that remain in these areas when the connection between the worlds is made lose their form and will disappear until the connection is broken again. Same goes for any humans that wander through a portal and haven't grounded themselves to the spirit world by the time of the changeover. Except if humans disappear, they won't reappear. What you see now is what we call the awakening- the time of day when spirits regain their forms as the connection between the worlds dissipates and the spirit world fully awakens from its slumber."

"Why don't the spirits at the bathhouse disappear during the day," Chihiro asked as they boarded the ferry to the town on the other side of the river.

"The overlap area ends at the foot of the bridge. The bathhouse is located solely in the spirit world." Looking around Chihiro tried not to stare at all the different kinds of spirits taking form around her. Focusing on the bright lights of the city ahead and the rippling dark gleam of the water below, Chihiro nearly missed the sight of small bird spirits soaring above them. Docking at the town, Lin and Chihiro stepped off at the edge of a brightly lit street market. Chihiro gasped at the site of the beautiful colored lanterns floating around the set up booths, and Lin couldn't help but smile at the sight. Drawing her aside, Lin put a hand over the top of Chihiro's head and leaned close.

"Listen here, the market is nothing to fool around with. Haku's barrier only protects our side of the river so all sorts of dangerous people could be over here. Be on your guard, and if you see anyone staring at you, tell me. It's better to be too safe than sorry."

"Of course everyone would stare. I'm a human," Chihiro remarked sarcastically.

"As long as you keep that sling bag on you, you will smell like a weasel spirit. Only strong magic users should be able to smell through it. Here, in case you want to buy something," Lin handed her a small pouch and curled Chihiro's fingers around it, "there is two thousand yen in here. It's just a little spending money until you get paid on Sunday."

Chihiro tried to hand it back to her and voice her refusal, but Lin bonked her on the head.

"Take it ya dope. It's a gift and ain't it rude to turn away someone's gift?" Muttering her apologies and pocketing the pouch in her sling bag, Chihiro tailed after Lin as they joined the swarm of spirits entering the market. Vendors called their wares from each side and the wafting smells of foods and spices filled the air. Chihiro had never been in a market like this before. Strange foods that she had never seen before were roasting in plain view, while other vendors chose to advertise their food in giant platters atop a bar. Though she wanted to ask who would eat something like roasted newt, the look on Lin's face at the sight of it was enough of an answer. Moving out of the food section despite Lin's backward glances, they entered into the rest of the market. Red oni displayed their tasteful leather works and weapons, cranes flaunted colorful bolts of fabric and mujina silently watched over their glittering gems. Chihiro did not recognize some of the kinds of spirits around them, and the wide range of available goods spoke of their far travels. A spider merchant selling potions had the nerve to step in front of Lin and try to corral her back towards the stand.

"Come young miss, I have a bottle here that will have your mate raring for you as if it were mating season!"

"I'm recently widowed, now please move out of the way," Lin shouted at her over the noise and stepped around her. The spider moved to approach Chihiro, but Lin grabbed her hand and tugged her along.

"Recently widowed, eh?"

"You think she would of let me go otherwise? Look she already got herself another victim already," Lin said with a backward glance. Looking back, Chihiro saw a small cat spirit being dragged into the spider's tent. Lin guided them further down the market towards an elderly owl spirit selling unusual antiques. As Lin talked familiarly with the owl, Chihiro wandered through his wares. Most of his goods consisted of old leather bound books on the spirit world, knick knacks, and a few curious oddities. One such oddity caught her eye and she walked over to examine them closer. A pair of antique silver dragon hair sticks gleamed from an old box lined in crushed blue velvet. Taking one out of the box to examine it closer, Chihiro admired the beautiful craftsmanship. Each roaring dragon was clutching an identical clear crystal sphere between its claws, along with a single invisible string. These strings each held a small silver circle detailed in flowers and from those, dangled tiny slivers of silver bells. She was so caught up in admiring the hair sticks that she startled at the owl clearing his throat behind her.

"I see you have great tastes, young lady. Might I be able to interest you in trying them on?" Chihiro considered it for a moment before shaking her head no. There would be no way she could afford them even if she liked them. Besides, it's not like she could bring them back with her to the human world, right?

"Thank you sir, but I will have to pass this time."

"Are you sure, Chihiro? I think they would look great on you," Lin added as she set aside the stacked bento box that she had apparently been haggling the owl over earlier.

"I'm sure. No point in buying something that I can't bring home with me," Chihiro said with a small smile and put the hair stick back into its box. Lin gave her an understanding nod and distracted the owl spirit once again to discuss the latest gossip he had heard since her last visit. It seemed that she always made a point to stop by his tent every time she had a day off. Slipping to the door of the tent, Chihiro looked out at the busy street. Watching the spirits walk by, she missed the person standing stock still across the street staring at her. His red eyes focused in on her and a nasty smile spread across his face revealing sharp canines. Interrupting Chihiro's people watching, Lin returned triumphant with an aged bottle of wine for her efforts.

"Takashi-san always has a smuggled bottle of aged wine from the Capital laying around somewhere. Hey Chihiro, we aren't too far from the train station. Would you like to stop by and a take a peek around?"

"Yes, of course," Chihiro replied as her eyes focused in on the empty spot across the street from her and the slight nagging sensation that they were being watched. Shaking her head, they set off up the gentle slope to the train station.

The train station's two platforms jutted out from the side of the building towards them and the clock tower busily chimed the hour. Stark electric light lit the building and there seemed to be no spirits nearby. Walking up to the front entrance, Chihiro pushed open the door to see the empty train station within. Despite the struggle that had only happened days before, there was no sign of anything wrong or that anyone had been there in several years. Both platforms that went out towards the town were clean under the moonlight. Three open black archways along the opposite wall had a breeze pulling towards them, but she couldn't be sure which it was that she had come from originally. Noting the lack of footsteps behind her, Chihiro looked back towards the door. Lin leaned against the frame watching her.

"Aren't you going to come in," she asked curiously as Lin shook her head no.

"I'm not a bound spirit, Chihiro. This is as close as I can get to the portal. One of those arches will lead back to the human world, but unless you have on the same clothes you were wearing when you passed through, you will simply keep coming out back here." Nodding her head, Chihiro returned back to Lin and closed the door to the station.

"Thanks for showing me where it is. Why don't we go grab something to eat before we take care of the errands on your list?"

"Sounds like a plan," Lin replied as they set off again, "and I know just the place!"

Chihiro gratefully sat down on the barstool and breathed a sigh of relief. After have a quick lunch at the food stalls Lin had been eyeing earlier, they shopped through the remainder of the market. Lin talked regularly with several merchants along the way, collecting rumors and gossip of other lands. They had also dropped off some kimono for dry cleaning, purchased a new hinge to fix her broken closet door, and delivered some mail from a frog spirit working at the bathhouse to his lover. After running all over town, they took the ferry back to the bathhouse side of the river and began to run more errands. Chihiro was exhausted and when Lin finally admitted that everything was done and they could go to dinner, she was ecstatic. They went to the bar called "End of the Line" which was the last building on the street before the river and only a few feet away from the large stone frog pouring out water down the steps. As they walked in, the staff called out in welcome and they took seats at the end of the bar.

"Welcome to End of the Line, ladies. What can I fix you tonight," the bartender asked in a quiet baritone voice as he walked over. Chihiro could see rippling muscle bulging from his cream and orange robes as he leaned against the counter in front of them. If it weren't for the beak in place of a mouth and the presence of black wings protruding from his back, he would look almost entirely human. Chihiro couldn't recall any previous times that she had seen a tengu around town or the bathhouse.

"Two of my usual, Taka, my friend here has never had a Heaven's Fire before," Lin said with a smile. Nodding his head, he began to grab liquors off the shelf and pour into two glasses.

"It is unusual to see a human in these parts. What is your name," he asked. Chihiro gave Lin a quick look of worry, but Lin reassured her with a pat.

"My name is Chihiro." The way Taka spiraled the alcohol into the glasses was like an art form. The drink was rapidly turning a bright red color inside of the glasses. She was tempted to ask what exactly he was putting in their but decided better of it. Placing the glasses in front of them, Lin happily slurped it down while Chihiro hesitantly took a sip. The drink was rather sweet for her tastes and there was almost no burn to it. For the amount of alcohol he put in she was rather hoping for something more biting.

"Taka here makes the best drinks in town," Lin boasted happily as she continued on her drink.

"You spoil me mistress," he said with a smile to Lin, "Please let me know if either of you need anything." Bowing to them, he returned to fix drinks for the other side of the bar.

"He is one of the few surviving holy tengu warriors from Mt. Kurama. They lost the shrine to the Tainted about a year ago and he arrived here shortly after. We met while he was in the bathhouse infirmary, but surprisingly he stuck around after being released. Isn't it funny how a holy man who does not drink alcohol mixes the best drinks around?" Chihiro muttered her agreement and took a good look at the bartender again. Usually Chihiro preferred bartenders who had more excitement and life in them, but something about Taka's refreshing, relaxed charisma charmed her.

Six different drinks and several hours later, Chihiro was indeed impressed with Taka's bartending skills as well as Lin's nonexistent tolerance for alcohol. She was basically done after her second glass and was happily snoozing at the counter as Chihiro drank onward. Most of the other patrons had called it quits for the night and Taka was wiping down the bar for the night.

"Well it seems you drank your friend here under the table. She usually only has one, but I think she outdid herself since you were here," he replied with a smile, "Will you be alright getting home tonight? I can walk you wherever you need to go after we drag her back to the bathhouse."

"I'm staying at the bathhouse as well, but I'd appreciate any help you can give me in carrying her."

"Not a problem. Just out of curiosity, when did you arrive?"

"A few days ago, why," Chihiro said before taking another long draught of her drink. She was finally beginning to feel a buzz.

"You must be the one whom the dragon has been waiting for."

"Excuse me," Chihiro asked confused.

"Every morning for the past year, I've watched the dragon of the bathhouse walk to the stone frog over there before the awakening. He always looks out over the meadow, as if he were waiting for someone. Then like clockwork, he returns to the bathhouse without saying a word to anyone as soon as the river begins to fill in. However just a few days ago, he stopped coming out."

"He's been busy dealing with stuff. It has nothing to do with my arrival," Chihiro said as she finished her drink, "Got anything stronger? I want one last drink." Nodding his head, Taka set about making a different kind of drink. Chihiro mentally added that Haku was too busy trying to find a way to send her home.

"But this isn't your first time to the spirit world, is it? You have been here before."

"What makes you say that?"

"There is a tale passed around among the locals here that some time back a human girl came through the portal and performed two miracles- defeated the witch Yubaba and returned the name of a contracted spirit who had lost his name. That wouldn't happen to be you, now would it? Not that you would remember thanks to the void magic… Why don't we say my guess draws from my observation of you tonight. For someone who only arrived a few days ago, you are surprisingly calm and accepting of the things you are seeing around you. Also I have known Lin for almost a year now and not once has she ever been so excited about having a friend along."

"You are insightful, but I can't tell you if you are correct. I have no memories of visiting this place prior."

"Ah yes, the void magic. My brothers and I helped repair the void magic around Mt. Kurama portal many centuries back," he replied thoughtfully as his hands froze over the half-filled glass. Looking up to her with piercing brown eyes, he continued, "If you had the option to regain those lost memories, if they were even there in the first place, would you take it?"

Chihiro thought hard about it for a few moments as he resumed pouring.

"Yes, I think I would. I'm going back home any day now and will forget all over again, but it would be nice to have the complete story for a while." Handing her the drink, she reached into her sling bag for the small pouch of money Lin had given her earlier. As she took out the coins, Taka tried to waved off her money away, but she insisted. Finally taking the money, he returned with her change.

"Thanks," Chihiro said as she drank the new mixture. This one seemed to burn considerably and was much closer to something she would drink at home. "I like this one, what is it called?"

"Raven's Breath. It is one of the stronger cocktails we serve here." Going around the corner of the bar, Taka turned off the lights in the dining area and hung up his black waiter's apron. Coming back around, he started digging around through storage under the bar. Muttering under his breath, Taka stood up with a tiny ivory ceramic vial that reminded Chihiro of a miniscule ash urn. Walking back to her, he set it on the counter in front of her.

"A welcome gift from me. I don't know if it will do you any good, but there's no harm in trying. If nothing else it will give you some interesting dreams. Take it right before sleeping sometime when you haven't spent the night drinking."

"What is it?"

"A memory stimulant. I bought it on a whim some time back, but all its doing is collecting dust. It's meant to be taken within a year of the memory loss, so it will probably do nothing now, but it's the thought that counts." Taking it carefully, Chihiro examined it before slipping it into her bag.

"Thanks," she started, but he cut her off with a wave of his hand. "Don't mention it. If you are done with that drink now, let's get Lin home." Chihiro nodded her head yes and stood up from the bar stool. Slipping an arm under Lin, she slipped her off the barstool before hands reached past her. Having come around the bar to them, Taka lifted Lin into his arms with ease. Holding her tightly against his chest with a small smile, he motioned for her to go.

"When I mentioned I could use some help carrying her, I didn't mean you had to do it for me," Chihiro remarked as they exited the bar. Flipping the lights off on his way out, he readjusted her carefully in his arms. They started on a reasonable pace up the hill towards the bathhouse.

"It's easier this way," he replied stoically and pulled Lin a little closer. If Chihiro wasn't certain that he didn't have a small sweet spot for the weasel in his arms, she was sure now. They walked up in silence to the bathhouse entrance and Taka hesitated.

"I can take her from here, Taka. It's not far," Chihiro reassured him and he carefully released his hold on her. Setting her down carefully on the floor, he removed Lin's shoes and put on her indoor slippers gently. Chihiro slipped an arm around Lin and with a quick bob of a bow goodnight, she dragged her inside. Taka watched the curtains they went through for a few moments before taking his leave.

Haku was not surprised when the small paper bird flew in the window and landed in the chair across from his desk. Gracefully unfolding and transforming into the old witch, the paper bird hid beneath the folds of her blue dress. Warmly greeting her, he set aside his work and waited for her to get to the point of their meeting.

"Haku, I talked with as many of the ancients I could find and scoured the recesses of the archives. There is no magic recorded in our history that could keep her safe and hidden outside of the Spirit World. I know this isn't the answer you want to hear, but trust me when I tell you that keeping her here is for the best." Haku frowned and got up to pace in front of the massive fireplace. Zeniba stood up and walked closer to him, but stopped short of touching him. His brow was furrowed in deep thought and his green eyes made rivets upon the floor.

"What makes you think that she would be safe here? Every day countless spirits come through the bathhouse doors and with the borders no longer holding back the Shadow forces... Who says that the border I created here will be enough should we be attacked? What if she stayed with you in Swamp Bottom? Isn't that where you heading now?"

"Yes, but sending her to the backwoods of the Eastern lands is far more dangerous. Don't you see? She will be safer there at your side. You can protect her, just as you have always done. I saw the way you looked at her! You still love her. Show her what you two had before and let the power of your love fuel your magic."

"I do love her that is why I'm trying to protect her! If the Elders catch wind that she has returned to the bathhouse to stay, they would use her and send me to the front lines. There would be nothing I could do for her then. She has to return to the human world." Haku reassumed his pacing.

"Haku, if you send her back you will be signing her life away. Do you truly want to see her resting in the Ocean of Souls alongside her parents?"

"Hell I don't even know if she would go there after what I've done," Haku muttered darkly before grabbing the mantle firmly with both hands. "How am I supposed to tell her that she needs to stay here? That she has to give up everything she had before…"

"Tell her the truth, Haku. Tell her everything and I'm sure she will come around. She will understand."

"She doesn't love me anymore, Zeniba," Haku spoke quietly, but his words rang loudly around them in their sadness. His shoulders sagged under the heavy admittance and he let his head hang between his arms. Closing the distance between them, Zeniba put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed.

"How could she love someone she doesn't know? Give her a chance to get to know you again and start over fresh. Love is the strongest magic of all, that's why a mating bond founded in love is irreversible. I got a feeling that the void magic could not erase away her love for you, and that somewhere deep within her those feelings lay suppressed in waiting."

The ting of the lift bell reaching his flat level interrupted their talk. Hearing the familiar soft footsteps of Chihiro approaching the door, Haku thrust out his leg and kicked the paper bird into the fire. Zeniba gasped as she disappeared in flames. Lifting his head, Haku looked towards the door as it rattled open.

"Hey Haku, I wanted to let you know that I kinda drank Lin under the table tonight so I am going to spend another night with her. Don't want her to throw up in her sleep and choke on it or something." Haku muttered his consent, but didn't release his grip on the mantle. Noting his tension, Chihiro stepped a little further into the room.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, it's just been a long day. Look after Lin for me."

"Will do," Chihiro chirped back and started to close the door to leave again. Stopping the door and sticking her head back in Chihiro asked the question that had been flipping around in the back of her mind as she had been drinking. "Oh and has Zeniba gotten back to you yet?"

"She sent a note saying she needs more time to search. The royal archives are not exactly well organized or small for that matter," Haku lied with ease. Nodding her head in understanding, Chihiro smiled at him.

"I'm sure she will find something. No worries. I gotta get back to Lin. Goodnight Haku!" Closing the door firmly behind her, Chihiro hummed quietly to herself as she got into the lift to go downstairs.

Haku paced in front of the fireplace for quite some time after Chihiro left, her smile replaying through his mind. Reaching a conclusion in his mind, Haku walked slowly back to his desk and opened up the right drawer. Picking up the letter Chihiro had entrusted to him, Haku walked back to the fireplace. Staring hard at the pale white envelope, he frowned and felt the letter grow in weight. Throwing the letter into the fire, he watched it burn with a mask of regret.


	10. Chapter 9

**I have decided based on the pattern of views that I will try to update every other Wednesday from now on. This chapter had to be the toughest for me to write yet since I didn't want to use a time skip and I didn't really want to talk about all the little things that make up Chihiro's every day experience. Even after staring at it for two weeks, it seems terribly rough. After I finish writing the entire story I plan on going back and fixing all of these rough points, so please bear with it as I push ahead. As always, reviews and messages are the best way to get me moving faster on the next chapter. Thank you for your continued support.**

 **Chapter 9:**

The sound of rain pitter pattering on wood rang throughout the bathhouse as the morning routine got under way. Chihiro came downstairs after giving up on dragging the hung over Lin from her bed, only to find that she was not needed. After making the usual rounds, she found herself asking the foreman again for any task he might have. There was simply nothing that wasn't being attended to already with so few customers and all hands on deck.

"With the weather we are having, I doubt we will have many more spirits visit us. I'm letting people off in every department today to relax. Not even Yui makes the journey here when it rains. The best thing you could do is find some quiet corner out of the way and relax. We will be busy enough tomorrow if the lands flood." As the foreman had patiently explained to her when she had first arrived downstairs, the majority of spirits that regularly came to the bathhouse chose to stay home and relish in the rainfall rather than make the journey to the bathhouse. Though not nearly as strong as bathhouse water, natural rainfall was cleansing for spirits, especially spirits associated with water. However too much water could cause flooding, and that could clog up many water spirits with impurities. It was all a delicate balance. Taking his advice, Chihiro set off to create her own entertainment by exploring the nooks and crannies of the bathhouse.

Chihiro began her wild adventure on the floor below Haku's flat. Wandering among the finely polished floors she peeked into several of the rooms reserved for their finest quests. The crisp tatami crunched quietly beneath her feet as she entered the last room in the hall. Green and gold paint glimmered from the paper walls, depicting flying pheasants and pleasant woodlands. Chihiro gently traced a finger along the wall as she followed the painting around.

"Are you having fun there," a voice interrupted in her ear. Jumping in surprise, Chihiro spun around to face Haku.

"Jeez Haku, cough or something next time. You scared me!" He laughed as she swatted his arm in irritation.

"Alright, alright sorry," he rectified as he grabbed his stinging arm. Giving him a parting frown she looked back at the painting. It was like he had appeared out of thin air. How had she not heard him sneak up behind her? Noting how the edge of his blue kimono was not even a step away, she wondered what brought him to this floor when they had no guests here.

"Do you need something," she asked as she resumed her tracing. Stepping to stay beside her, Haku watched her finger travel.

"No, I just heard you down here and thought I'd come investigate. I eh missed you last night," he nervously admitted as he ran a hand through his hair. Looking back at him, she smirked at his uncomfortable stance.

"Yeah, I kinda missed you too," she replied nonchalantly. Haku stopped in his steps for a moment before continuing after her. Scrambling to find anything to talk about, he said the first thing that came to mind.  
"When the weather lets up, would you go out on a picnic with me?" Haku felt a moment of panic rush over him. Did he just ask her on a date? He had to stop himself from smacking the palm of his hand to his forehead right then and there. Chihiro picked up her pace to keep the grin that grew at his words from showing. He took her movement as a denial and started to come up with some excuse to cover his actions. Why had he asked her that when he knew what was at stake? Hadn't Lin made it clear that he was getting much too comfortable with her and needed to keep his distance? Chihiro was actually thinking that going on a picnic with the handsome dragon could be a lot of fun, especially if they were trying to rekindle their friendship. Surely he wasn't asking her on a date…that would be impossible.

"Where would we go? Aren't most of the gardens filled with outdoor baths here?" Haku felt his racing heart soar at her casual acceptance, but it was followed by a plague of guilt. He was keeping secrets from her, yet she trusted him so easily…but that didn't matter right now. What mattered was her easy acceptance to going out with him.

"There is a beautiful flower maze nearby that I think you would enjoy. There is also a nice traditional Japanese garden on the side of the bathhouse for the staff to enjoy. If you would prefer that one-"

"No, the flower garden sounds just fine." Catching up with her, he stepped in front of her and put an arm out as if to admire the painting as well. Instead his purpose was to stop her long enough to examine her expression. The small blush across her cheeks was quickly met with a matching blush from his own and he suddenly felt nervous. She had agreed to go on a date with him and despite everything, he was cheering in delight inside. Now he just had to make sure that everything was perfect.

"Well I suppose that I will get back to work then. Have fun in your wandering," he said awkwardly and with a bow departed quickly with a kick in his step. Chihiro watched him go and couldn't stop the giggle that followed afterwards. For someone who was going on a picnic with a friend, he was awfully excited she thought.

After exploring most of the upper levels, Chihiro found herself sitting at the edge of the side garden Haku had mentioned. Her bare feet dangled off the hallway edge and hung dangerously close to the mud below as she let the rain water hit her calves. Gutters sloshed water over their edges and tin buckets placed out in the open to catch the water were overflowing. Even in the dark and rain, she could admire the simple beauty of the Japanese garden. The gardeners had truly outdone themselves with the white stone path and mossy stone statues. Sitting quietly in thought she debated what she could do for the remainder of the day. Perhaps taking lunch with Kamaji would take up some of her time after checking in on Lin. Watching an infirmary worker appear out in the rain to collect a handful of buckets, Chihiro didn't notice how the ground seemed to weep water and how some of that water moved towards her feet. Collecting first in tiny droplets and then in small streams, the water pooled below her feet, waiting for just the right moment... Pulling her feet back inside to wipe them dry, the water receded back into the ground. Tugging on her socks, Chihiro moved with purpose to intercept the infirmary worker.

"Pardon me," Chihiro called out waving a tentative hand to stop the yuna. Turning to her and staring with wide eyes, the yuna nearly lost the buckets she was carrying inside. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if anyone was going to take care of the patient in hospice if Yui isn't going to be here today."

"The magic in hospice will care to his dietary and excretory needs since he is unconscious so there is no need for any of the staff to risk their skin to check on him."

"Don't his wound dressings need to be changed daily?"

"The wounds can manage for a day or two until Yui returns. It's not like he has any hope of recovery," she replied with a huff of irritation. Politeness told her to let the yuna go, but curiosity insisted she ask the question burning in her mind.

"What does the infirmary need with the rain water?"

"We use it to cool down the spirits and bathe them. Now if you don't mind, these buckets are fairly heavy and I am expected back."

"Yes of course," Chihiro muttered absentmindedly and with a short bow, the yuna hurried off. She stared out into the rain as her thoughts ran ahead of her. Not caring for someone just because they were likely to die rubbed Chihiro the wrong way. Everyone should be getting equal care and those dying should be no exception to that. If it were her, wouldn't she want to go out comfortably? Letting her feet carry her forward, Chihiro set her tentative thoughts into action.

Carrying a bucket of rain water in hand, Chihiro pushed open the door to the hospice infirmary. Empty silence greeted her as the steam washed over her and the door shut behind her. She walked towards the supplies crates and dug around until she found a comb, wash towels, wound dressings, and poultice materials. Ignoring the sweat beginning to drip down her brow from the steam, Chihiro made her way to the bedside of the only resident living in there. Putting the supplies on the bed beside her, she picked up the clipboard at the foot of the bed and reviewed Yui's patient care notes. Chihiro noted the old poultice placements and took a deep breath before setting aside the clipboard.

"Hello there, kitsune-san. My name is Chihiro Ogino and I will be cleaning your wounds today," Chihiro spoke in a shaking voice. Placing her hand on his bare shoulder, she could feel his steady heart beating, reassuring her that he was not yet gone. Everyone else might have given up on him, but something told her that he was far from being done. Carefully removing the poultices, she followed the same cleaning procedure as she had seen Yui perform the other day. However before applying the new poultices, Chihiro wet the comb in rain water and used it to gently remove some of the dirt and knots in his fur. Working gently, she began singing quietly to herself as a mental distraction from the task at hand. Once his chest was clean, she applied the new poultices and set to work combing out all of the dirt and tangles from his matted fur. Every now and then, the fox would shift in his sleep and sigh. Chihiro gently combed through the now clean fur on his face.

"You must of have been quite a handsome fox with this white fur of yours. I wonder how you wound up here," she spoke softly as she sat back onto her heels. Giving him a glance over she felt better about his state than before. There were areas she hadn't traveled to out of discomfort but surely having most of him clean was a start. How could someone heal if they weren't clean? All of the sweat pouring out of their bodies from the steam and incense couldn't have been comfortable. Wetting some rags with the still cool rain water, Chihiro wrapped his forearms, calves and forehead. Gathering up the trash and left over supplies, she returned to the supply crates to dispose of them before returning to remove the now warm rags.

"Well I guess I will get going then. Feel better soon," she whispered and with a parting glance, she disappeared back into the steam to find the exit.

Chihiro dangled her feet off the edge of the bed and looked at the vial clasped in her hand. She had had a nice afternoon with Lin and Kamaji in the boiler room, organizing the herb shipments as they chatted. Kamaji had shared with her some of the funny stories of the bathhouse and she in turn shared some of her stories from high school and university. Lin was particularly fascinated with Chihiro's failed dating attempts and oftentimes interrupted with tales of her own failures. Kamaji chuckled from his perch above them as he poured out more tea. Time seemed to fly and before long, Chihiro excused herself for bed. A long relaxing bath later and here she was ready to go to bed as the rain continued its assault on the bathhouse. Turning the vial in her hand, she thought over the possible consequences that taking it could have. Part of her hesitated to take the mysterious substance, but the desire to know more, to remember what had been taken, was too tempting. Opening the vial, she took a sniff and felt her nose crinkle at the familiar scent of ginseng. Chihiro up ended the vial as she would a shot and swallowed the vile substance down. Tossing the empty vial into the nearby trashcan, she laid down beneath the covers and fell asleep.

 _Loud club music roared over the sound of a flowing fluid onto ice as Chihiro opened her eyes. Staring at the alcohol spiraling into a glass, her vision blurred to focus on the image before her. Stumbling off of her bar stool, Chihiro felt the world spin around her as if she were heavily intoxicated. It was so hard to focus. People were dirty dancing in time to the bass, but sometimes when the colored lights flickered in a particular manner she saw spirits in some of their places. Continuing her slow pace forward, Chihiro stopped to hold her reeling head. The floor was not supposed to be at such a sharp angle and the edges of her vision seemed to fade irregularly into black. Moving out onto the dance floor, Chihiro pushed past some of the other dancers until she was at the center. Giving herself over to the music, she closed her eyes and started dancing._

 _Firm hands grasped her hips and brought her moving form back against firm, warm flesh. Ignoring the small voice in the back of her mind screaming that it wasn't right, she pushed back into the man and heard his gasp of pleasure above her ear. Lifting her arms upward, Chihiro wrapped them around his neck and continued dancing. With the way her head was spinning, she couldn't focus long enough to care about anything more than the pound of the music and the feel of his body against hers. It was the familiar whisper of her name spoken like a caress that jolted her eyes open and brought her to push away from him. Turning to face him, Chihiro was surprised to see Haku standing there looking back at her._

 _Looking him over with an appreciative eye, Chihiro admired the way his dark green button up and black slacks framed his narrow build. The people dancing around them seemed to push them back together and Haku smiled warmly down at her as he wrapped his arms around her once more. Running her hands up his chest, she began to rock against him in time to the music once more. She didn't care if he was a dragon, right here and right now, he was a human man in her world and she wanted him. Primal urges heated her blood as they moved tighter and tighter together. Chihiro could feel the tension in him, as if he too could feel the pressure. She had to close her eyes again as her head reeled, but she grounded herself in the feel of him. Opening her eyes, Chihiro found his forehead pressed against hers and his green eyes gazing into her. The short distance between their lips disappeared and Haku kissed her with a fiery passion that ignited every cell in her body. Giving him entrance to her mouth, their tongues warred as she pushed even closer to him._

 _Chihiro closed her eyes and let her head roll back as Haku moved his rough kisses from her mouth down her neck. When she opened her eyes again, she was laid out on a soft white bed naked and Haku was busy kissing his way down her neck to far more interesting places. Chihiro could feel the heat in her blood sear even hotter under his tender ministrations. She could not think of anything other than him. It was all so right and so wrong at the same time. Her vision seemed to black out again, only to recover to the view of Haku's head down between her legs. Surely he wasn't going to-Chihiro's brain short circuited at the feel of his lips and tongue starting a form of physical magic she had yet to experience in reality. It took Chihiro several hazy moments to mentally recover from the shock and the resounding waves of pleasure rolling through her body. Opening her mouth to try and stop him, all that came out was a loud moan as he found the right spot._

"Chihiro, Chihiro," Haku called through the closed door jolting Chihiro from her sleep, "Are you alright in there?" Chihiro's eyes darted around taking in her sweaty, aroused state and the mess of sheets surrounding her. A hot blush of embarrassment crossed her cheeks and she smacked both hands to her face to cover it. At least Haku hadn't come in to check on her.

"Yeah, I'm fine. What's going on," Chihiro called out. She mentally groaned at the throaty sound of her voice and prayed that he would not open the door.

"It seems the rain has let up for a bit and the bathhouse is at relative ease. Would you like to go for that picnic now?" Chihiro nearly cursed her luck as she disentangled from the sheets. Of course she would have to spend the morning with the man she just spent the night have illicit fantasies about...not that he had to know that. Using a left over towel from the hamper, she tried to quickly wipe off most of the sweat and other fluids that she had acquired. Realizing that only a cold shower would fix her, Chihiro crossed the room and threw open the door to face Haku.

"Yeah, sure, but let me take a quick shower first and get ready," she replied as she hurried past him towards the bathroom. Haku felt himself stiffen in more ways than one at the scent that drifted off of her. As the bathroom door slammed shut, he leant into her bedroom and took another sniff to be sure. Frowning slightly, he quickly shut the bedroom door and retreated back to his desk to find the most boring accounting statements he could find.


	11. Chapter 10

**Frankly, I would not have been able to write the beginning of this chapter if my boyfriend hadn't shown up on my doorstep with a surprise bouquet of flowers and a bag of chocolates. After thanking him, I then proceeded to gush out all of the romantic ooze that tends to follow his random sparks of romance onto paper. I apologize in advance because now rereading it days later, I am gagging from the sweetness. I also threw in a small Easter egg of sorts in the romantic scene, so I hope some people are able to find it/appreciate it. Thanks for the continued support!**

 **Chapter 10:**

Chihiro's purple butterfly yukata fluttered in the wet breeze as Haku led her into the flower maze on the side of town. Behind her the fading light of sunset resounded with the sound of spirits awakening and the town beginning to come to life. Gently grasping his hand tighter, Chihiro followed Haku as the walls of pink, white, and purple flowers surrounded them. Dim lanterns hung in tendrils overhead giving the maze an overall festive appearance. He looked back at her and was pleased to see a large smile on her face. With her free hand she touched several of the flowers along the way.

"Would you like to wander through the maze for a while and see if you could find the center," Haku asked her gently as he let her begin to the lead them forward. Chihiro seemed to have forgotten that they were holding hands as she reached for the next flower that caught her eye and tugged him after her. He didn't need to tell her that the flower maze was enchanted so that those who enter could not find the exit or center without using a high level of magic or paying a hefty bribe. How else would the maze capture its victims and consume them? However it had been easy to convince it to play nice for the day with the promise of a rare fertilizer that Haku had acquired from a trader some time back. Chihiro pulled him along as she admired the roses, daffodils, sunflowers, irises, and countless other flowers growing along the path. Yes, the fertilizer was a worthy price to pay to enact his simple plan for their date. When Chihiro was tired of wandering around lost, he would simply use magic to notify the maze that they were ready and then lead her to the center where he had his own surprise in store for her.

Winding through loops endlessly, Chihiro couldn't help but wonder how big this maze was. She swore that she could see both edges of the maze when they entered, but now there seemed to be no way out. At least the flowers were plentiful and beautiful. She had always loved flowers and part of her yearned to yank off several handfuls to decorate her room with. A small voice in her mind mocked her for calling the guest room of Haku's flat "her room" but that was what it had come to feel like. After a few days here, she was already starting to melt into a comfortable routine. It was as if she was always meant to come here and be at the bathhouse...to be with the people who lived here.

Pointing out a very particular flower that she had never seen before, Chihiro looked back at Haku to ask what it was. However the words seemed to fall right off of her lips at the tender smile on his face and suddenly, she was aware that she was holding hands with the handsome young man beside her. Her cheeks burned red and she turned back around to examine the flower so he wouldn't see her face. She didn't want him to misinterpret her actions, after all they were just friends, but she liked the feeling of her hand in his. His slender long fingers seemed to cover and hold her hand as if he cherished the opportunity to touch her. She felt her heart beat pick up speed as his refreshingly cool hand adjusted to give her hand a gentle squeeze. Looking back at Haku, he smirked at her and answered her unspoken question, "It's called a dahlia." Chihiro nearly let out a sigh of relief that he thought she was awestruck by the flower and had stopped to admire it. What had really stopped her was the way he was looking at her. He was looking at her as if there was nothing else in the world but her, as if she stood there upon the center of his universe.

"It's quite beautiful." Haku stopped himself short of replying how its beauty could not compare to hers and following it up with a thousand other sappy romantic quips running around his head. Reminding himself that she wouldn't believe him if he said something like that anyways, he decided for a moment of honesty under guise.

"The moon tonight is beautiful, isn't it?" Chihiro looked up at the full moon above them and smiled.

"Yes, it is." Haku smirked at her quiet response, but decided it was time for the surprise. Pulling her forward, he sent a magical vibration to the maze to let it know to reveal the center to them.

As they turned yet another corner, Chihiro spotted the path widening up to a small meadow. A stone fountain gurgled happily in the middle and a picnic blanket prepared with a three tier bento box was laid out beside it. Paper lanterns hung in crisscrossing patterns overhead, giving a gentle light that balanced out the moonlight, and a sum of butterflies flitted around peacefully. Releasing her hand reluctantly, Haku ushered her forward towards the blanket. Chihiro plopped down gracelessly and began to open up the tiers as Haku gracefully sat on the opposite side. Preparing plates for both of them, she was impressed with the food he had packed.

"Did you prepare all of this yourself?"

"Yes, I thought you would enjoy it." Biting into the onigiri, she felt a flash of familiarity and comfort at its delicious taste. A short flash of memory blinded her eyes and she saw herself eating onigiri, crying as a young boy that resembled Haku held her. There seemed to be flowers around them as well… "This isn't the first time you have made me onigiri, is it?"

"No it is not…" Haku felt himself startle at her accurate assessment.

"You didn't use magic to enhance this, did you?"

"No, but how would you know that?" It was a memory that only he and her would know, if of course she could remember their past.

"I just wouldn't put it past you. That seems to be the sort of thing you would do. You would do something nice for someone without telling them what you are sacrificing." Haku shrugged and bit into his onigiri. He didn't have the heart to correct her and tell her about the horrible monster that he was. She didn't know how he played judge, jury, and executioner on the docks, or the dirty work he did for Yubaba.

"It did its purpose and that's all that matters now."

Clouds slowly float by as they talk about everything and nothing at all. Chihiro found that Haku's sense of humor kept her laughing throughout the meal and when she would reply with witty retorts, he would laugh along with her in his intoxicatingly smooth voice. Both kept trying to make each other laugh, just to hear the other's laughter. At one point, their conversation was halted by the landing of several butterflies on Chihiro. Taking it as a good luck charm, she smiled and admired them before gently removing each with a finger. When they kept returning to her, she looked at Haku in laughter. Catching him staring at her, she put two and two together.

"Don't use magic on petty things like landing butterflies on me. You know there are much better uses for it," Chihiro scolded. Haku raised his palms up in innocence.

"I did no such thing. The maze here controls the butterflies, not me." Chihiro rolled her eyes in disbelief and let the butterflies continue their exploration of her yukata. Haku thought better of explaining how the butterflies were actually the souls of spirits caught in the maze's grasp- he didn't want to kill the mood. It seemed the maze had taken a liking to Chihiro after listening to her praise its flowers and shrubbery all morning. Once the maze noticed she liked the colorful butterflies trapped in the maze center, it had sent them over for her amusement. As their conversation renewed in earnest, a single drop splattered on Chihiro's arm. Looking down at her arm and then back up at the sky, she could see no clouds above. The sky above them was empty save for the moon and stars, but Chihiro held her suspicions. Moments later she spotted another drop on her resting chopsticks.

"Hey Haku, it looks like it is going to rain…"

"I don't feel anything yet and the sky is clear," he replied without looking up. He had spent most of the morning distracted by Chihiro, but surely he would have felt if there was any immediate threat of rain. He was a river spirit after all. Instead his mind focused on the way Chihiro looked here within the garden. Even in a plain yukata, she was stunning, like a radiant blossom that outshone every other beauty around her. The way she laughed and smiled as she explored the different types of flowers made him confident that he had chosen the right place for their first date. He would never forget this morning with her and wanted the date to last forever. However fate was not on his side for just as he finished speaking, a large fat rain drop splat on his nose and Chihiro snickered at him. Her laughter was stopped short in shock when the sky opened up and poured down on them. Standing up, Haku grabbed her hand and together they abandoned their picnic to the rain.

Pulling her through the maze as quickly as he could without using magic, Haku led her towards the nearby abandoned pig's keep. Yanking open the doors to the creaking wooden shed, he pushed her in and followed closely. Leaving the door open so they could have some light, Haku stood beside her as they both caught their breath. They were both soaked to the bone. Breaking down in laughter, the two of them leaned against each other.

"Your face was priceless," he whispered with a smile.

"So much for our picnic. You couldn't wait for a day without a forecast of rain," Chihiro teased as she attempted to wring out the sleeves of her yukata. Haku gave her an impish smile and wrung out his sleeves.

"No, I was too nervous you would disappear again before I could make good on my offer." Chihiro looked at Haku's wistful expression and felt her heart rock against the inside of her chest. His piercing green eyes didn't hide his honest feelings and she felt almost guilty that she was going to have to return. She had a life to return to, not much of one, but a life nonetheless. A small voice in the back of her mind whispered the obvious offer that she could chose to stay here. She could ask Haku for a job and stay with her new (technically old?) friends. At least she would not be alone anymore and was what was waiting for her on the other side of the portal really what she wanted anymore?

The distant sound of the wounded bell interrupted her thoughts. Haku and Chihiro faced each other, the first with a grim expression and the other with understanding.

"We are needed back at the bathhouse."

"Yes, since it was supposed to rain today I doubt Yui will be around. Lin will need to run the infirmary as best she can."

"I can manage the front of house while you two are busy. I don't mind." Haku nodded his head and looked out into the pouring rain. It had taken them almost an hour to get to the center of the maze after he sent the signal and it would take quite some time to return if they went on foot.

"Chihiro, I'm going to ask a favor from you. There is no way we could get back to the bathhouse before the wounded start arriving if we don't fly. I know you hate heights, but if you can just trust me for about ten minutes I'll have you back on solid ground in no time. You don't even have to look." Chihiro frowned, but even she saw no other way around it.

"Fine, tell me what I need to do."

"Close your eyes and hold out your hands. I will put my horns in your hands and seat you using my tail. Hold on tight and I will do the rest." Chihiro grumbled a series of explicative words under her breath, but the tolling of the wounded bell meant her insecurities would have to be set aside for the greater good. As she closed her eyes, Chihiro felt a swirl of wind push past as Haku changed forms. Cool, stiff horns were shoved gently into her hands and she held onto them for dear life. Haku carefully seated her behind his horns using his tail and quickly took off for the bathhouse. Rain drops whipped about them as Haku flew. Chihiro had to admit that there was something peaceful about flying, whether it was the way Haku's body moved fluidly through the air or the feeling of air surging past her. Keeping her eyes close, she snuggled into his warm fur and wrapped her legs around his body. Grumbling to her quietly, Chihiro could feel the vibrations beneath her. As Haku had promised, it felt like no time at all before they came to an abrupt halt. Using his tail, he gently tried to remove her, but she clung to him like a burr with her eyes shut. Rolling his eyes, he sauntered into the living area and proceeded to roll over, pushing her onto the sofa. Finally opening her eyes and releasing her death grip on his horns, Chihiro plopped off onto the sofa.

"Thanks for the ride, Haku." Grumbling in response, which seemed to be his favorite thing to do in this form, he threw a towel at her before nudging her off the couch and towards the door. Giving her a nod of his head, he sauntered right back to the balcony and flew off in the direction of the docks. There was work to be done.

Chihiro ran the bathhouse until closing time and then left the foreman in charge of the usual closing procedures. Making her way down towards the infirmaries, she could hear spirits still being brought in and the wounded bell had not yet taken a rest. There must have been a serious battle. Opening the door to hospice, Chihiro was not surprised to find the fox uncared for since her departure the day before. Swiping a rain bucket and repeating yesterday's procedure, she felt the tiredness of the day's antics rest upon her. Today the wounds had much less black puss oozing out of them and he seemed more responsive when she brushed out his fur. As each cool press of the wet comb ran through the fur on his head and neck, the quiet sound of a sigh could be heard beneath her singing. Finishing her task, she said goodbye and headed to the main infirmary to check on Lin. Lin was in the center of the storm, organizing teams and patient placement as best that she could. Spotting Chihiro entering, she put the staff on hold while she quickly moved to intercept her.

"Now is not the best time for you to be down here. Haku is at the docks and if he comes inside to take a break, he will see you. Head upstairs to bed. We are probably going to have to work through the night so I need you to run the staff tomorrow." Lin didn't give her a chance to respond and before Chihiro knew it, she was shoved outside of the infirmary with the door firmly closed behind her. Walking upstairs, Chihiro made sure everything was set for the next day's work before heading upstairs. Without Haku, the flat felt lifelessly empty. Taking a hot bath and curling up in her pajamas amongst the covers did not seem to dull the tension she felt from the ever ringing wounded bell.

Rain poured down throughout the night and the following day. By midday, the bathhouse was flooded with guests needing detoxification treatments from the pollution flooding into their wetlands and the wounded bell had been ringing nearly non-stop since the morning began. Managing the chaos, Chihiro kept the front of house running smoothly through the reorganization of manpower and tasks. Shortly after delivering lunch to the guests, a yuna came running up from the infirmaries seeking more supplies from Kamaji. Chihiro intercepted her and asked how the infirmaries were faring.

"I must get more herb supplies for Kamaji, but we are losing staff members left and right. The exhaustion from working all day and night on adrenaline is wearing out and they are collapsing." Chihiro frowned and let the yuna hurry on. Heading to the foreman, she discussed her plan with him.

Lin dragged the sixth infirmary worker that had collapsed off to the side. What they truly needed was a good three to four hour nap and some food to keep going, but there wasn't time. She could only give them a good half an hour before waking them. There were just too many patients being brought in and sorted into the different infirmaries. Walking towards the main infirmary, Lin nearly stopped in her tracks at the sight of eight yunas approaching from the bathhouse way. They had not been on infirmary shift this week.

"Mistress Lin, Chihiro sent us to assist you. She said to send eight of your weakest assistants back upstairs for a hot meal and a nap. We are going to rotate down other bathhouse workers that had time to rest last night so that those who worked through the night can rest."

"How? We need the staff above to run the bathhouse for our guests."

"She is shutting down the areas that required heavy staff presence and reorganizing our guests and staff so that we have people to spare." Lin thought it over silently before nodding her head slowly. With the bell continuously tolling, it wasn't going to be getting easier anytime soon. Waking those who had passed out, she ordered them to report to front of house as fast as possible, and then took those who were fresh into the chaos.

By closing time, Chihiro had rotated out most of the staff to the infirmary and sent those who came out straight to bed with supper. After saying goodbye to the last guest as he departed, Chihiro thanked the foreman for his help before heading down towards the infirmary. Entering into hospice, there were several new residents unconscious in their beds. Looking over the notes at the foot of each occupied bed, it seems that sorting staff had taken care of all of the new entries, leaving the fox untouched. Following the same routine as the day before, Chihiro cleaned the wounds and placed new dressings before brushing him with rain water. As she cupped one of his paws to wash it, the paw twitched and stretched its abnormally long fingers towards her. Somewhere between a hand and paw, his clawed, padded fingers tried grab onto her wrist weakly. Pulling her wrist out of his paw, she continued on with her cleaning as both of his paws gently contracted and opened. As she finished up, Chihiro could hear the wounded bell finally silence. Heading towards the main infirmary, she considered how unearthly silent it was, as if everyone had died. With a quick glance at the closed doors of the main infirmary, Chihiro walked past and followed the blood spattered path towards the docks.

Coming out into the fresh night air, Chihiro nearly stopped in her tracks at the sight before her. The moon shined down beautifully on the back dock, mocking the smears of black blood and screams of agony from the spirits below. Spirits with weeping black and red wounds clambered out of the wooden buckets that they came floating in upon. Before they could get far though a wall of water would crush over them. The spirits would scream out as the water forcibly purified some of their wounds and black blood would spew in retaliation before slowing into red blood. As soon as the spirits bled red, staff members swooped in and helped carry the spirit up into the main infirmary. Others were not so lucky. When the water hit them, their bodies crumbled down and gave up their life along with the shadows poisoning them.

Haku stood on a platform over everyone else, controlling the powerful water cleansing. He moved the wall of water through the spirits and when they failed to bleed red, he would use the water to end their suffering. The bodies of the unfortunate were shucked like husks back into the buckets and sent back across the river to be disposed of. After controlling the water for so long, his mind had emptied of everything else, focusing completely on the task at hand. Even after the last of the wounded were being taken inside, he stood there, eyes clouded and unseeing. The power of holding unfamiliar water for so long had been slowly consuming the line between them. Though he could feel his thoughts and feelings blur with those from the water, he couldn't stop as long as more wounded were coming. He could feel what the water felt, the joy it felt at expunging the impurities and the sadness it felt when ending another spirit's life. It wasn't his water, but he felt its desire to claim him and take him as its own. Like magic, water can be a greedy mistress that wants what it cannot have.

The sound of someone calling his name sounded like a tiny whisper in the back of his mind. It was like he was underwater, the sounds of the world around him faded away to almost nothing. His body suddenly jerked under a tight hold and the warmth of another body against his struck a note of familiarity. Focusing on the feeling, he once again separated himself from the water and released his hold on the magic tying him to the water. The water on the dock splattered down unsatisfied. As his eyes unclouded, Haku could see Chihiro holding him tightly as Lin stared at them both with a sad frown. Opening his mouth to ask why she was there, Lin beat him to it.

"You weren't responding anymore. Take her and go upstairs, Haku. I will manage everything down here." Taking a look at her tired appearance, Haku was tempted to argue that she didn't look to be in any shape to be continuing either. However, Chihiro's hold tightened on him to a degree and his attention was redirected to her. Like a frightened rabbit, she held onto him and he brought up a hand to pat her head gently. Lin gave them one last look before heading back towards the infirmary.

"Chihiro, I would deeply appreciate it if you could help me back to the flat." Nodding her head in response, she shifted from her hug to wrap an arm around his waist and drape his arm over her shoulders. She was a bit short to be carrying any of his weight, but it didn't seem like that was his intention. He wasn't leaning on her at all, simply keeping her wrapped close to him. Together they slowly made their way to the flat. Haku wanted to ask her if she saw what he had been doing, but he held his tongue. She didn't seem to want to talk about it and he didn't really feel like bringing it up. It had been a tough time after all. Getting back to the flat, Haku and Chihiro both stared at the bathroom door.

"Why don't you go take a quick bath and I'll wait here. I still have to eat dinner anyways," Haku said with a warm smile. Muttering yes, Chihiro nearly flew into the bathroom. Turning the shower water to scalding hot, she tried to scrub away all of the filth from the day. Images of the broken and dead spirits from the dock contrasted with the images of those suffering in the infirmary raced through her mind. Rubbing her skin harder, Chihiro felt herself panic. She couldn't get clean. All of the blood splattered everywhere, smears of black blood and forgotten bodies piled aside. Finally, slamming her hand against the tiled bathroom wall, Chihiro broke down and cried. No wonder the others didn't want her down there, the air seemed to reek of suffering and death. Pity for Haku filled her as she remembered how broken he looked staring at the dock. His eyes were glassed over and his body cold as if he too were joining the corpses in the buckets heading back across the river. When Lin's voice had failed to reach him, Chihiro had stepped up to hug him, hoping the physical touch of another person could ground him back from the sights he was seeing. If she was troubled over seeing the dock at the end of its work, she could only imagine how Haku and the others must feel seeing it regularly and watching the spirits come and go. Turning off the water, Chihiro dried off and got into her pajamas. Some part of her accepted that no amount of water could wash away what she had seen.

"You should head to bed now, Chihiro. I'm going to take a soak and go to bed as well. Don't stay up any longer," Haku spoke in a sleepy voice. His eyes were struggling to stay awake and he kept yawning. Chihiro nodded her head in agreement as she watched Haku enter the bathroom with a big yawn. Walking listlessly to her room, she got under the covers and waited for sleep to take her. Restlessness crept into her instead.

Chihiro waited anxiously in her room for Haku to leave the bathroom. He had seemed so sleepy when she had come out that she was worried that he might fall asleep in the tub. Could river spirits even drown? Surely it had been at least half an hour or longer since he had gone in, but there wasn't a clock around for her to check. The sun had come up in his absence. Finally deciding to check on him, Chihiro slipped out of bed and padded to the bathroom door. Knocking, Chihiro called out to Haku and asked if he was alright. There was no response from within and placing her ear to the door, she could not hear anything inside, not even the movement of water. Knocking again louder, she yelled for Haku, but there was no answer. Warning him that she was coming in, Chihiro opened the door. The water of the bath was as flat as glass and Haku was nowhere to be seen.


	12. Chapter 11

I deeply apologize for the delay in posting this chapter. Life knocks me down sometimes, but nothing a good visit to the nearby river couldn't fix. I will update next Wednesday as well, so I will be back on the alternating Wednesday schedule from that point forward. This chapter and the next are going to be slow as I set up what is coming up. I promise there will soon be plenty of action and ridiculously sweet romance as I set the stage for the impending cascade of events. My goal is to try and finish this story by the end of the summer, whether by making longer chapters or posting on some off days. Thanks again for your continued attention and support.

 **Chapter 11:**

 _Pounding feet resounded across the blackness. Heavy breathing from exertion. She had been running for so long, trying to escape the horrors lurking after her. Pushing herself harder, she raced against the black tendrils reaching out behind her._

 _Chihiro could see the train station platform as she ran out of the tunnel entrance. It didn't matter how many times she tried to cross over, as long as she didn't have her clothes from the night she crossed over, she would not be successful. Darting out onto the platform, she felt the claws of the shadow that had been chasing her finally catch around her throat. As the air gasped out of her lungs, she prayed that the end would come quick as she struggled against the demon. Thrown to the ground, her arms were quickly pinned down by its weight and though she fought relentlessly, it was going to consume her. Twisting her head away, Chihiro could see out one of the platform doors. The sound of screams was echoing in the distance, not to be outdone by the raging fire taking down the bathhouse. Pushing the demon away with all of her might, Chihiro got enough space to lift herself partially up. The faceless black mass surged towards her and she felt a scream rip loose as she slammed back into the hard stone floor._

Jolting awake, Chihiro nearly screamed aloud at the presence of a weight pressing down beside her. Clutching the unfamiliar sheets harder, she jerked away from the pressure on her shoulders.

"Shhshh it's just me! You are ok now," Haku spoke breaking the pounding silence, "It was just a nightmare. I'm right here with you. You are safe now." Chihiro let out a trembling sigh of relief as he released hold of her shoulders. Memories of the night before trickled back to her and she slowly released the sheets. After finding the bathroom and his room empty, Chihiro had felt anxious. She had almost gone downstairs to sleep in Lin's room, but the reminder that Haku could return any moment in a weakened state and need her help, kept her there. She had sat down on Haku's bed to wait for him when she had fallen asleep.

Chihiro still trembled lightly from the fear leaving her. The nightmare had seemed so real. Lying down hesitantly beside her, Haku pulled her over to his chest and tucked her into the safety of his arms. Melting into his form, Chihiro felt her fear drift away. Patting her head gently, he listened to her ragged breathing calm. Part of her wanted to protest over the intimacy they were sharing, but somehow she couldn't bring herself to push him away. She liked the feeling of him holding her close more than she cared to admit. This whole friends thing was not going to last at this rate. Were they something more before?

"Where did you go? I went to check on you and I couldn't find you. I was scared so I waited here for you to return." Chihiro didn't have to explain why she was scared for Haku to understand. Frowning gently into her hair, he carefully tucked the blanket around her tighter.

"I'm sorry, Chihiro. I went to my safe place to rest." Her frown deepened in annoyance, but she had no right to argue. If she had a safe place, she probably would have headed there too after what they saw. Part of her wished that he had thought of taking her with him or at least warning her that he was leaving.

"How did you get there then? Cause you sure as hell didn't take the door." Haku chuckled in response to her sharp tongue. She had a point there, but it was easier to tease than be honest. He would tell her everything in time, but for now, he wanted her to think of him as more human than spirit. After all, he had been making an effort up to this point. Haku was doing his best to not lounge around in his dragon form, especially since controlling his feelings in that form was slightly more difficult, and he was trying to not use magic in front of her. Maybe if she saw him as less spirit like, she would be more likely to like him again and choose to stay here.

"Chihiro, you know there are other ways to leave a room besides a door. Windows, portals, trapdoors," Haku began listing off options as he watched her pout in annoyance. Of course there were other ways to leave, but she wanted to know how he had done it. From his tone and smirk, she doubted he would tell her. Instead, she lay there quietly and pouted. It was too early to get up, as evidenced by the still up sun, and though she considered sleeping right there, the idea of having a reoccurring nightmare was unappealing. Haku's chest was firm and comfortable, and the sound of his beating heart beneath her ear was calming. He drifted off his list with something about spinning walls before falling silent. "Will you tell me about your nightmare? You seemed awfully scared when you awoke."

Chihiro wanted to make a smart ass retort and be uncooperative, but his offer was too appealing. She began to describe it in detail, focusing in on the things that scared her most- the bathhouse burning and being unable to leave in an emergency. Taking her words with heavy consideration, Haku pondered her nightmare as if it were a battle scenario to be analyzed.

"Since the bathhouse is made of charmed, aged wood it would be fairly easy to burn it, but I don't think you should worry about that. There are many strong water spirits that reside here that would put out any fire that could arise. In regards to being unable to leave, if you promise to not do anything stupid I will show you where I hid your clothes." Chihiro nodded her head and Haku reluctantly slid out from underneath her. Offering her a hand, Chihiro gently took it and followed him back to her room. As he opened up the wardrobe, she couldn't muffle her snort of disbelief.

"It couldn't be in there Haku. I have been going in there for days-" she said before being brought up short. For lying in his hands were her clothes from the party. The modest black button up shirt, khaki skirt and low heels were folded neatly beneath the bra and panties that she had set aside the other day. "How could that…?"

"There is a hidden panel on the back wall of the cabinet. Feel for yourself, the latch is right here." Chihiro brushed past him to feel the small knot in the wood that she had overlooked. Looking up at him in amazement, she began laughing.

"Of course you would hide it in plain sight. It was there the whole time," she giggled. Haku smiled at her response and put the clothes back in their secret compartment. Herding her towards her bed, he folded back the cold covers and helped her in. Chihiro grumbled about how cold the bed was and Haku considered scooting in beside her, but decided against it. Finding her in his bed had been enough temptation as it was, better not to push anything. Tucking her in gently, he ran a hand through her hair before whispering goodnight and leaving. Chihiro found sleep shortly after and dreamed of nothing but darkness.

When Chihiro awoke, the sun had begun its nightly fade and the bathhouse was stirring with life. Clambering out of bed, she yawned as she walked to the door and pulled it open. A large bouquet of dahlias in a vase sat in front of her door, causing Chihiro to nearly stumble over it in her sleepy state. Picking them up, she noticed there was no note, but it screamed of Haku's touch. Smiling, she felt her heart warm at his gift and put them on her night stand before heading to the bathroom to get ready.

"Chihiro Ogino, get over here this instant!" Yui's loud voice instantly silenced everyone in the kitchen as they all turned to stare at her. Feathers ruffled and in a huff, Yui grabbed Chihiro from her spot in the prep line and began dragging her away. Calling her apology to the lunch staff, she tripped over her own feet trying to turn around and walk with Yui. Pulling her into an empty, corridor, she pushed her against the wall and held her there. "What the hell did you do to the fox in hospice," she whispered. Chihiro could see lines of exhaustion in her face and her usual clothes were stained with black and red. She had obviously arrived now that the rain was gone and been thrown into the mess that was the infirmary. If the stains were anything, her fox probably hadn't made it. Opening her mouth to say she didn't do anything, Chihiro felt Yui's piercing stare cut into her.

"Don't you dare try to lie to me, Chihiro! Just tell me what you did! You are the only one brave enough in this bathhouse to enter into the hospice ward when I'm away so don't try and say you didn't go down there while I was gone. I know it was you." Yui slammed her feathered wing above Chihiro's head in impatience at her silence.

"I'm sorry. I just thought I could help by cleaning his wounds and replacing the poultices while you were gone," Chihiro whispered looking down at her feet.

"You did something more than that. We tried that and he was unresponsive to treatment, that's why he was left to die. What else did you do," she pleaded.

"Why does it matter what I did if he is dead," Chihiro yelled back as tears began to pour down her cheeks. Yui looked at her confused before banging her forehead against Chihiro's.

"You baka, he isn't dead. He made an impossible recovery in the short time I was away! I want to know what you did!" Chihiro stared back at her shocked, but happily surprised. "And here you are keeping your mouth shut about it while others are suffering! Out with it, woman!"

"All I did was use the fresh rain water to wash him so he wasn't completely filthy and used the same procedure you showed me before. That is all I did." Yui stood back and seemed to be pondering her reply.

"Rain water, eh? Let me guess it was probably cold?" Chihiro shook her head yes and straightened up from the wall.

"Chihiro, you are brilliant," Yui said hugging her quickly and holding her away, "I've never seen a white fox this far south so I should have thought to use a cold treatment. White fox spirits are native to the Northern lands. The rain water must have been able to cool him off enough to regain his senses and fight the infection. You have to show me exactly how you treated the fox."

"I don't even know what I did Yui. I just went along with a gut feeling."

"Come now and you can show me. Everything else can wait." Yui moved to drag Chihiro, but she planted her feet and leaned back.

"I'll come when I can, but not right now. I am supposed to be meeting Lin in the kitchen when you interrupted and it will raise suspicion if I suddenly disappear. Nobody else knows that I have been going down to the infirmary on a regular basis, let alone the hospice ward, and we need to keep it that way." Yui was too far gone in her mutterings of possible rain water applications in regular treatments to hear her. Chihiro felt guilty for not going with her immediately, but if he was as well as she was saying, his dressing change could wait until after she had finished her shift. She had already told Yui all that she had done, so seeing her in action should make no difference. They were interrupted by Lin skirting around the corner.

"What is going on here? I heard yelling when I was coming up the steps from the boiler room."

"Nothing, but a misunderstanding I'm afraid," Chihiro cut in as she pushed Yui away from her, "Are you ready to update the kitchen storage rooms and figure out what we need to order?" Lin nodded her head in consensus, but still stared at Yui in suspicion. Yui glanced at Chihiro and with a sigh, put space between them.

"I'll be returning to the infirmary. I hope that you will consider bringing over some supplies later this evening, after you finish your other duties of course." Following after Lin, Chihiro looked back over her shoulder at Yui who was staring after them. Yui gave her a short nod before hurrying off in the direction of the infirmaries.

Lin and the foreman discussed the staff adjustments that Chihiro had inducted in Lin's absence from the front of house affairs while Chihiro stared out the open door at the organized chaos outside. The meeting didn't necessarily require her participation anyways. Staff members ran to and fro doing their duties, but one particular spirit caught her eye. Haku had been standing across the main walkway talking with one of the regular patrons, a roaming black cat spirit, for the entire length of the meeting. This particular cat spirit was known for talking for days if you let him, and Haku made the mistake of letting him start.

"Oy Chihiro! If you are gonna keep starin' at him for the rest of the shift, you might as well go talk to him," Lin exclaimed breaking Chihiro's stare. Looking back at Lin to retort that he was busy with a customer and that she had nothing to say, she was surprised to find the foreman gone. "We finished up a few minutes ago, but I thought I'd give you a few more moments. He's pretty handsome, isn't he? Has quite the ass," she said with a confident smirk.

"Lin," Chihiro exclaimed as she swatted her, her face blushing instantly. If either of them had been looking at Haku, they would have seen him smirk at their conversation. After all, dragons have very good hearing.

"And look here, you are blushing like a school girl! Have you fallen in love with the master of the bathhouse," Lin mocked as she dodged Chihiro's next swat and her laughter poured out.

"Nonsense! He's just a good friend!" Lin dodged Chihiro as she circled around the table. Making a move to quickly get around the table and grab Lin, Chihiro bumped right into Haku as he walked into the room. Stumbling back, Haku caught her with a small smile before she could fall. Wagging her eyebrows at Chihiro, Lin slipped out the other door as she chortled, "You're done for the night so go enjoy yourself!"

"What was all that about," Haku asked feigning ignorance as Chihiro blushed madly and cursed Lin under her breath. Standing upright so Haku could release her, Chihiro found herself looking at her feet.

"I just wanted to thank you for the flowers this morning. It really made my day. You seemed busy so I was going to wait until later." Haku smiled at her awkward blush and shy appearance. Taking his hand, he gently brought her face up to look at him.

"If you are thanking someone, you should look them in the eyes so they know you mean it," he gently scolded. Biting her lip, Chihiro returned her eyes to the floor for a moment before looking right into his eyes.

"Thank you, Haku," Chihiro spoke quietly as she smiled up at him. The blush on her cheeks bloomed even further as she realized how he had angled her. Haku was leaning over her, just inches away from kissing her with the way he was holding her head up. Heck if she really wanted, she could lift up onto her tip toes and smash her lips against his. The flowers were the sweetest thing that anyone had ever done for her and the warm fluttering sensations in her stomach hadn't left since she laid against him earlier this morning.

"It was my pleasure," Haku said graciously as he bestowed a warm smile on her. Chihiro felt her knees get a little weak, but refused to admit how close she was to turning him from friend to something more. Could they be something more? The question echoed around in the back of her mind. "May all of your dreams be sweet as flowers in bloom."

Chihiro chuckled at him and he released her face. She felt the absence of his cool hand against her. The rest of the bathhouse seemed to fade away around them in her mind. Haku's smirk made her heart skip a beat. "You should get used to it though. There will be many more to come." His words confused her and she cocked her head in question.

"What do you mean there will be more to come?"

"I hear that keeping fresh flowers in one's room will keep away nightmares."

"You don't have to go to such lengths for me." Chihiro shook her head at the idea, but Haku looked at her seriously.

"I would do anything for you. It's a small price to pay in the scheme of things. You should see the price I just paid for two hundred bath tokens worth of white sage. That would leave you with nightmares," Haku joked lightly. Thanking him again, her voice was nearly lost under the call from the foreman. "I got to go, but I'll see you at dinner tonight?"

"Of course," Chihiro said as she watched him depart towards the foreman's station. Taking a deep breath, she watched him go before walking in the opposite direction. With Lin out of the way and Haku meeting with the foreman, now would be the best time to go visit the hospice ward.

The sticky incensed steam clung to Chihiro as she searched for Yui. Walking towards the supplies crates, she finally spotted her, busily washing blood off of her wings.

"Oh, there you are. I could have used your help ten minutes ago. Moving the bodies is difficult by myself. No worries though," Yui said as she turned off the water and dried her hands. Motioning for Chihiro to follow, they walked towards one of the beds closer to the door. "I moved him closer to the door earlier today and if he keeps improving, hopefully we can move him back to one of the other infirmaries in a day or two. All of the supplies you should need are there so I will just be observing."

As they approached the bed closest to the door, Chihiro could see the fox stirring slowly. Freezing at the bedside, she opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out. Clear blue eyes stared right at her with open curiosity. "I forgot to mention that he woke up when I was moving him," Yui's voice sounded quietly behind her. Chihiro held his stare for a few moments before directing her gaze downwards.

"Pardon us for disturbing you, but I need to change your bandages today," Chihiro spoke quietly in a firm voice. Inside she was quivering with nervousness, it wasn't like she had ever taken care of someone who was awake, but if she focused it should be fine.

"You are the one who called me out of the darkness." His tenor voice was smooth and lingered more as a statement than a question. Chihiro's lips quirked downwards as she thought of how to answer him without contradicting him; she did nothing, but care for him. If that was enough to help him escape the shadows corrupting him, then that's all that mattered.

"My name is Chihiro Ogino. I have been helping out in Watari-san's absence the past few days." Chihiro bowed to him before pulling the pail of rain water from the end of the bed to the bedside and beginning to prepare the supplies beside her.

"Chihiro Ogino," he whispered as if he savored her name on his tongue, "I have been waiting for you." She kneeled beside his bed and looked up at him in question as her hand hovered over his chest wound. Nodding once to her in consent, Chihiro removed the old poultice and set to work cleaning the wound. The amount of black ooze was near nothing and the open wounds had began to scab in a healthy color. Humming quietly to herself, Chihiro finished his chest, but then froze. His eyes had never left her as she worked and she suddenly felt embarrassed of helping him wash. Between Yui's scrutiny of her every move and his watchful eyes, she was starting to feel self-conscious.

"Would it help you if I closed my eyes," he asked with a small, pitiful smile as he realized what had caused her hesitation. Gritting her teeth she said yes, and he closed his eyes. Taking the comb, Chihiro washed the same areas that she had before. Moving slowly over his face and ears last, she was surprised when his eyes opened to look at her. The clarity in his eyes seemed to look right through her, as if he were looking straight into her soul. Pulling away, she tossed the comb in the bucket and made as if to stand when his hand grasped hers.

"My name…my name is Hikaru. You may call me that." Chihiro didn't understand why Yui gasped loudly behind her at his words. Giving his hand a squeeze, she stood up and gave him a weak smile.

"Thank you for bearing with it, Hikaru-san." Nodding his head in agreement, he released her hand.

"Tomorrow, I will be stronger than today. Please come again, Chihiro," he said as she handed off the trash and pail to Yui.

"Kitsune-sama, now that Ogino-san has shown me what she does for your treatment I can repeat it myself without her presence. She is the guest of the bathhouse master, not a staff member." Chihiro looked between Hikaru and Yui in confusion as the two seemed to stare at each other.

"I really don't mind coming down here when I can," Chihiro started, but the look Yui shot her stopped her speech. Something seemed to pass between the crane and the fox as Chihiro looked on in. Both seemed to be waiting for the other one to bend. Finally, Yui nodded her head with a small bow.

"Very well then. Chihiro, I hope you can find the time to continue your visits to the infirmaries for the duration of your stay." Turning on her heel, Yui stalked off towards the supplies crates. Giving Hikaru a short bow and excusing herself, Chihiro hurried off after her. Yui was dumping out the dirty rain pail and throwing away the trash in the bin as Chihiro walked up.

"What was that about," she asked as Yui put the bucket away. Putting her wings on her hips, Yui turned to face her.

"He gave you his real name." Chihiro's face scrunched up in confusion. Well yeah, he gave her his name, she had given him hers? She didn't see the importance behind that. Yui sighed exasperatedly before ushering Chihiro out of the infirmary and closing the door. "Fox spirits don't give out their real names to just anyone. They typically go by 'kitsune' or some variation of the kanji for kitsune. Only people of close relation or strong ties are given the right to call them by their real names. Apparently, he finds you worthy of this."


	13. Chapter 12

**I intend to go back and edit this chapter sometime before I post the next chapter in two weeks. The transitions are a bit rougher than I'd like, but the majority of the content is there. Thanks for your patience and support.**

 **Chapter 12:**

Three days had passed in a breeze with no cries of the wounded bell and no word from Zeniba. Chihiro's short flashes of what she believed to be memories began to occur sporadically as she went around the bathhouse. They were nothing more than momentary flashbacks, but they would stun her temporarily. Each morning, Chihiro found a new vase of different flowers in front of her door. Finding Haku each day to give her thanks had become a new game between them. After watching Haku and Chihiro work in the same room for a period of time, Lin noticed the way that both of them watched each other when they thought the other wasn't looking. It was cute and also disturbing to her at the same time. Were they like this before and she hadn't noticed?

Lin claimed that she finished their portion of work well before closing each night in order to send Chihiro upstairs early. It would be nice if the dragon changed his mind and let her stay for good. With that intention in mind, she was going to push them together as much as she could. Lin might not have been as eager to send Chihiro away if she knew what she had actually been using the time to do. After Lin would dismiss her, Chihiro would help Yui out at the infirmary and care for Hikaru. Hikaru never spoke much or explained why he had given her his name, simply watched Chihiro work. When she was done, he would thank her and ask her to return again the next day. In this peaceful, yet odd manner they continued in secrecy. It was on the third day post awakening that Chihiro and Yui moved him to the main infirmary and things began to get lively.

Okita greeted them loudly as Chihiro and Yui moved Hikaru on a stretcher between them. Sliding him onto the cot beside Okita, second closest to the door, Chihiro had been soundly scolded by him for not remembering to visit him and how he neglected he felt being unable to discuss his mischievous plans with her. When she had argued that they had barely talked at all in their times together thus far so it shouldn't have mattered, he laughed and told her all the more reason that they spend time together. Taking his flirty attitude in stride, Chihiro mockingly begged his pardon and promised that she would get him something to make up for it. While Yui returned the stretcher back towards the dock entrance, Chihiro quickly ran up to the kitchen and stole two yokan while the chef's back was turned. Returning quickly to the infirmary, she offered one up to Okita as a reconciliation gift for his "troubles". As he spouted off his acceptance of her "humble" gift in his mocking tone, she turned around and gave Hikaru the other stolen treat. Okita gasped in shock and dismay, but Chihiro smirked back at him mischievously, daring him to say a word against his new neighbor. Hikaru smiled at her, despite his obvious pain from the transfer, and tucked it away for later. Gathering her basket of supplies from the corner of the room, Chihiro kneeled down beside Hikaru's cot to get to work.

"Besides my loving personality, why does a doll like yourself come down here anyways," Okita asked as he wheeled himself over to sit beside her. Biting into his yokan happily, he watched her change the fox's bandages. With his fast recovery rate, the poultice had been replaced with normal bandages the day before.

"Well Yui can use any hands she can get and I'm happy to help out. I've always liked taking care of people and the hard work doesn't bother me. I actually considered going into nursing back when I was applying to take the university entrance exams, but my parents talked me out of it. The nearest university that had a nursing department was five hours away and they wanted me to stay nearby. I wound up in the next town over, studying management. I thought I could go into healthcare administration, but the only job offer I received when job hunting was at a British toy company. I have been there for two years now overseeing a team of twenty three staff members and company profits are up fifteen percent this quarter."

"Wow, quite impressive. I never would have thought you were a business woman."

"Neither did I, but here I am anyways," Chihiro chuckled. Their conversation was cut short by Yui arriving with the supplies to change Okita's bandages. Shooing him back to his bed, Yui set to work unwrapping his mangled legs. Chihiro focused back to her work on head and began quietly singing to herself as she continued.

"You have quite a beautiful voice, Chihiro. I never noticed before," Yui complimented her. Looking up from the smoothly combed wet fur, she smiled at her.

"Thanks, Watari-san."

"You should consider sticking around for the water festival at the end of the month. It is quite a fun event and we could use someone with your talents."

"Haku says I will be leaving as soon as Zeniba reports back later this week, but thanks for the offer. I'm sure the festival will go wonderful if you are involved in planning it." Yui fluffed her feathers proudly, but her eyes remained sad.

"You may belong in the human world, but enjoy your time here while you can. It will be over before you know it."

Chihiro couldn't ignore the wet coughing coming from the cot closest to the fireplace as she finished brushing through the fox's fur. It had been two days since she had been regularly attending the main infirmary and despite the salamander's instances that he was recovering well, the cough had yet to ease. Yui had mentioned in passing that the salamander had inhaled some dying shadow tendrils on the battle field, but something about his pale green color didn't seem right to Chihiro. Each time a staff member asked how he was feeling, he always insisted that he was feeling better than the day before. When she had first moved Hikaru over to this unit the other day, the coughing sound had seemed dry, but now it sounded heavy and wet, as if blood was coming up with each cough. Glancing over her shoulder at the salamander across the room, Chihiro felt Hikaru's eyes probing into the back of her head.

"When I was inside myself fighting the Black, I could hear the sounds of the world around me." Chihiro looked back at Hikaru and folded her hands before her to show her full attention as he continued. "I could hear how everyone kept saying that I was going to die, that there was no hope left for me, and yet now I lay here on the road to recovery from the brink of death. I believe in miracles, but he," Hikaru nodded his head towards the salamander, "is not going to make it."

A sickening wet cough that sounded closer to a retching sound cut him off. Before Chihiro could look back over her shoulder, the lights shut off throwing the room into pure darkness. Red lights flashed in the corners of the room, illuminating it in hues of reddened black as the sound of a wailing siren unlike anything Chihiro had ever heard before pierced the air loudly. Caught somewhere between a tsunami warning siren, a fire alarm, and a nuclear test warning sound, the warning attack siren sent a strong wrack of shivers down her spine and put every nerve in her body on high alert. As the red lights flashed again, Chihiro realized that she was alone in the infirmary with the patients. Yui must have stepped out to grab more supplies since all was peaceful. Nobody had ever gone over the protocol for an attack, what was she supposed to do? Hikaru's arms wrapped around her in a crushingly tight hug bringing her diverted attention back to him.

With a strong yank, Hikaru brought Chihiro onto the bed and rolled over on top of her. Fear spiking, she struggled against his body weight, but he pushed away from her quickly.

"Curl up and be silent," he ordered as he got his knees on either side of her and crouched in a defensive stance over her. Realizing that he was trying to protect her, she curled up as he asked. His single large tail fanned out into a full nine tails, each tail reached out to gently brush against her as if to comfort her while he braced himself for attack. Okita's playful mischievous attitude had dropped like a hat at the sound of siren and was replaced with a deathly seriousness. Despite his pain, he hobbled over from his cot and took up a similar defensive stance at the foot of the bed where Hikaru hovered. Chihiro felt something warm and wet drip down onto her calves, but it was hard to see anything between the darkness of the room and the mess of tails hiding her. The attack warning siren stopped its shrill cry and all they could hear was the heavy breathing of fear amongst them in the sudden pitch darkness. The salamander's wet cough shook the heavy tension in the air as everyone held their breath and waited. Though it was only a few minutes later, the lights returned to normal in what felt like an eternity later.

With the lights on, it was apparent that nothing had changed in that time except their positions in the room. Hobbling back to his bed, Okita flopped down exhausted from his efforts. Retracting his tails back into one, Hikaru moved off of Chihiro to face her. Chihiro could see that the wet substance on her leg was actually blood that had leaked from Hikaru's chest. The sudden movement and effort had torn open some of the fragile tissue that had healed and the wounds had begun to weep blood again. Sitting up, Chihiro caught Hikaru before he could fall forward and helped him lay back onto the bed. She grabbed some of the bandages from her abandoned supplies beside the bed and began to work on redressing the wounds.

"Sorry. I guess I'm not quite well enough yet," Hikaru joked dryly as Chihiro finished fixing the dressing. Taking a rag, she wiped the blood off of her calves and sent up a quick thanks that the blood didn't get onto the sheets. There might not be time to change them quickly if more patients were arriving. Yui crashed through the door with a wild look in her eye, but visibly calmed at seeing Chihiro sitting beside Hikaru just fine.

"Are you alright," Yui asked as she rushed over, taking a glance at the fresh blood coming from Hikaru. He nodded yes as Okita rolled over to look at them.

"We kept her safe, ma'am. No shadows down here. Do you know what triggered the alarm," Okita cut in.

"Since the alarm turned off before the white lights came on it must not have been an attack on the bathhouse. The only news I got from upstairs was that Haku was seen flying out of the bathhouse at lightning speed just a few minutes ago. He said something to Lin about a spirit devolving into a Shadow in the center of the market across the river, but that shouldn't have caused the alarm to go off…not unless he had been stretching his magic to cover the town below up to the river's edge. If that were the case, then the bathhouse warning bell would go off from the proximity of the attack. There are sure to be wounded," she mumbled off just as the wounded bell began ringing. Turning her head back to Chihiro, Yui gave her a concerned look.

"I know, I know. I will head upstairs and send Lin down. If Haku is gone, then who will be controlling the water barrier," Chihiro asked as she stood up and put her supplies away. Okita and Hikaru looked to be in well enough shape for her to leave as it was, but it would have been nice to spend a bit more time talking with them. Even in their conditions they had moved to protect her and that meant the world to her.

"I will. It doesn't come as naturally to me as a crane spirit as it does the dragon, but I can do it as necessary. Move along now before I have to explain your presence here." Stopping at the door, Chihiro turned back to face the boys. Bowing low she thanked them for their actions earlier before sweeping out of the room to return upstairs.

The bathhouse was in organized chaos as Lin and Chihiro changed positions. Chihiro was relieved when they finally sent the last guest home and the staff was dismissed for the evening. Fixing herself a cup of green tea, she found herself sitting out on the balcony again looking out towards the town across the river. A small trail of smoke was visible from this distance, but the damage couldn't have been too bad if the wounded bell rang for so short. Or maybe there were more dead than wounded this time, Chihiro thought bitterly. She still got the occasional nightmare from her short visit to the docks. Moving away from the negative images of the stacked corpses piled up in the buckets to cross the river, she tried to come up with something to distract herself with. She should ask Haku what exactly she is supposed to do when the warning alarm goes off again. Chihiro hated the idea being useless and having to be outright protected because she didn't know how to protect herself. Maybe if she could get someone to teach her then she could help out if there were an emergency… Haku landed onto the balcony and transformed back to his human form before entering the living room. Greeting Chihiro with a nod, he fixed himself a double shot of whiskey. Ignoring the obvious tension around him, she called him over to ask about his day.

"What happened today? Are you alright," she asked as he flopped down beside her. Taking a gingerly small sip from his whiskey, he proceeded to tell her how he had been called out to fight a shadow spirit that had erupted in the center of the market. It hadn't taken him long to contain it and destroy it, but the bathhouse alarm had still gone off and sent everyone into a panic. Panic causes spirit's impurities to multiply quickly meaning the bathhouse would be slammed with visitors for the next few days all because the clock tower watchmen hadn't been at their posts! If they had been in the clock tower watching over the town like they were assigned to do, the devolving spirit would have been identified and taken care of long before it escalated to the point it had today. People's lives were at stake and those damn eels weren't doing their jobs! Haku had more than enough power to cover both sides of the river, but for how long could he extend himself so far? It was already quite a lot to cover this side of the town and control the water barriers when wounded arrive…

"Haku, I know this probably isn't the time to ask, but will you teach me to fight? Lin told me you were the most skilled in the bathhouse-"

"No," he interjected flatly. His irritation twisted into a frown as he stood up and entered his office. Though granted it was a bad time to ask him such a question, Haku doubted that any other time would have yielded a different answer. The idea of Chihiro, Chihiro of all people, fighting this battle alongside him was madness. He would never purposefully put her in harm's way. She was meant to be protected, cherish, loved…

"Why not? I could help out when the bathhouse gets attacked." Following closely behind him, Chihiro's shocked expression quickly shifted to stubbornness. Spirits like Hikaru and Okita shouldn't be protecting her. What if someone got hurt trying to save her? She should be strong enough to protect herself.

"Spirits are faster and stronger than humans. The likelihood of you being able to make a difference is slim." Haku's taut response and disinterested actions as he started to shuffle papers around his desk, irritated Chihiro.

"But knowing how to fight could improve that slim chance," Chihiro pushed as she slammed her hand down on top of Haku's papers. Staring hard at him, Chihiro kept her face firm. Haku looked up at her and sneered as he came around his desk towards her. Turning to face him, Chihiro stared right back at him, challenging him. He had had more than enough challenge for one day with the attack, yet here he had another battle to fight at home. Recognizing the small voice in the back of his head warning him not to take out the day's frustrations on her, Haku decided to cut the discussion to the point.

"You don't understand, so let me make this a little more clear. Any spirit with a strong grasp of magic could stop you in a heartbeat without any effort." Chihiro felt her entire body freeze and no matter how hard she struggled, she wasn't moving. It was as if her entire body was covered in wax and she was no more than a statue. Standing in front of her, Haku grasped her cheek and pulled it upwards with no effort so that she was facing him. Looking down at her with a mocking smile, he continued. "Freezing you like this is child's play and you would have no way to stop me."

If Chihiro could glare at him, she would have. Haku's eyes glossed over her lips as if he were considering taking advantage of the situation and he moved confidently closer. With her unable to move, it wasn't like she could deny him. The predatory look in his gaze sent chills right through her, and she was torn somewhere between arousal and fear. He had her in the palm of his hand and to think, he could have done this at any point. Part of her recognized how vulnerable she had been all this time and was scared.

"I could do anything I wanted to you, heck, even make you say anything I wanted to hear." Chihiro's body moved forward as if drawn out by strings. Her flat palms rested on Haku's chest and she pushed her body up scandalously against his. The folds of their clothes did nothing to hide the throbbing beginning in either of their abdomens. A different sort of tension hummed around them, mixing with the residual anger and anxiety from the day's earlier events. Letting his hand drop away from her, Chihiro felt her head cock to the side and look up at him.

"Please Haku, won't you kiss me? I'll do anything you ask," Chihiro's voice pleaded desperately. One of her fingers traced its way dangerously low, implying exactly what sort of task anything could be. In the back of her mind, Chihiro's inner voice was screaming in embarrassment. She would never say anything like that! How dare Haku use magic to control her just to prove his point!

The smell of Chihiro's anger tempted the dragon within Haku. Anger was a powerful emotion and with just the right twist of magic, he could turn it into a just as passionate lust. Not that it would take much, he could smell her arousal the moment he started around the desk towards her. The temptation to bring his point home and make her lost in desire fought against his strained rationality. He had needs just like any other male, and though he regularly abstained, something about the fiery female in front of him brought him to new heights and new desperations. How far am I willing to go to possess her, he asked himself rhetorically.

Haku's expression grew distant as he looked down at her and with something short of a wistful sneer, he released his magic on her. Within a second, Chihiro's hand slapped him across the cheek with as much strength as she could muster. Tears of indignation bloomed, but did not fall as she regarded him with a look of disgust. Running out of the room, she left him standing there holding his cheek with a distant frown.


	14. Chapter 13

**I have been accepted to medical school so I hope to finish at least the first major arc of the story before the end of the summer. I have planned 3 arcs in total, but I will probably take a hiatus between each arc. When I was writing this chapter, I tried to think deeply on how people in relationships handle/react to a disagreement with their significant other and how fear of the uncertain future affects relationships. I tried to capture these feelings in some of the writing. I have a much lighter chapter planned for next time, but I think after that it's time to start down the rabbit hole.**

 **Your comments/messages/reviews/favs are like tinder upon the fire of my heart. Thanks for your continued support.**

 **Chapter 13:**

Kamaji was just handing Lin his finished dinner bowl when Chihiro came slamming into the room like a hurricane. Instantly sensing the waves of frustration rolling off of her, both spirits quickly set aside their task at hand to listen to her as she paced the room retelling the earlier disagreement.

"He would rather sacrifice others to protect me than teach me how to fight alongside you," Chihiro finished with a huff before plopping down on a cushion beside Lin. Thinking it over, Lin could see Haku's logic in the matter. By having others protect Chihiro then there would be less of a likelihood that she could find trouble. However, Chihiro had a valid point that she could be of help if something did arise, even if it was through the role of a noncombatant. Lin already knew that if there was a fight, she would happily sacrifice almost anyone to protect the girl she considered her sister, but Chihiro didn't need to know that. Perhaps she shouldn't have mentioned how Haku was the most skilled warrior in the bathhouse to begin with… she was just trying to subtly mention some of Haku's strengths in hopes of showing how appealing he was.

"Dragons are known to be possessive creatures. You are something he values and protects. His behavior shouldn't surprise you," Lin commented with a shrug. Maybe if she played it off as reasonable then Chihiro wouldn't be as upset with Haku. Lin was more concerned with Haku's abuse of magic to straighten out Chihiro's advance than their actual disagreement.

"I think there might be a misunderstanding here. You asked him to teach you how to fight, but what you really meant was self-defense. Haku probably interpreted your request as a desire to be on the frontlines and was arguing against your participation in any skirmishes that occur during your stay, which is understandable given your natural fragility," Kamaji said thoughtfully as he stroked his mustache. Teaching her how to fight was a different argument than teaching her self-defense or strategies of action in case of emergencies.

"He didn't even consider teaching me and there was no need to use magic to prove his point. It's like he doesn't even cherish you all," Chihiro argued back with a scowl as she thought of all of her friends here at the bathhouse suffering. Part of her wanted to be childish and complain that he had not been completely unreasonable, but the more logical side of her could see Kamaji's point. Haku probably didn't have time to teach her anyways, but that still didn't warrant his puppeteering of her body. Surely freezing her should have been enough of a point, there was no need to make her touch him in such a manner. The worst part of all was the lingering warmth that still lingered within her from their short moment together. Chihiro wrote it off as residual anger at his behavior.

"I see the value in you learning self-defense and agree you need to learn, but I think you need to also look at the situation from his view. He is harboring you here in the bathhouse without a contract or permission, meaning if you are involved in anything that leaks back to the Capital, he will be severely punished. Yet he continues to keep you here despite the risk. Since he is willing to go so far for you, it isn't a big leap to think he would be willing to put others at risk to keep you safe. We spirits are hearty creatures that live for centuries, but humans…you only live a meager hundred years and have a frail disposition."

"That doesn't mean I need to be put in a glass case on the sidelines."

"No, but that means that everyone who cares about you will try their best to shelter you. You are loved, Chihiro." Lin's statement rang like a bell through Chihiro's mind, dampening her anger. It had been a long time since she had had anyone to fuss over her. Her parents had been her everything when they were alive and when they were gone, she had immersed herself in work to relieve her grief. Lin's firm statement knocked the fight right out of her and Chihiro had to look away at her feet. The silence dragged on as she tried to find the right words to say. She cared for the spirits here at the bathhouse, and it was obvious they held her in high regards, but love? Could someone fall in love in such a short time? Confusion filled her emptied mind as it reviewed her feelings.

"I'm going to go head to bed," Chihiro started as she got up from the cushion and started from the door.

"I'll walk you upstairs then," Lin said as she started to get up as well.

"No. Thanks, but I need some time alone." Lin frowned as Chihiro left silently out of the room and sound of the door shutting rang loudly in the silence. Kamaji sighed and poured a cup of tea before motioning for Lin to sit back down. Settling back onto the cushion, Lin took the tea cup from his hand and drank from it with a sigh.

"Don't worry yourself Lin. Chihiro will be fine after a good night's rest."

"I'm more worried that Haku is going to send her back. I can't tell if he is trying to push her away or keep her here."

"Haku is walking a fine line between his duties and desires right now. He has to make up his mind soon or else the war will be at our doorstep and there won't be any decision left to make."

Chihiro wandered the empty hallways letting her mind simmer. She was still angry at Haku, but Lin had struck a chord. It wasn't until she felt warm incensed steam upon her face that she realized that she had entered into the hospice ward. Stark white beds stood empty in the fading moonlight. With the exception of Hikaru, all of the previous residents had passed away quickly upon entering. The fire crackled quietly in wait of the next batch of herbs and water, leaving the room nowhere near as humid and steamy as it normally was. Sitting on a bed, Chihiro ran her fingers over the sheets. Empty beds, empty chairs, empty tables… all were included in the price of war. Her thoughts fell silent as she felt the emptiness of the room fill her. How many of her friends would lie here in the future? Would she cause their pain and suffering because she couldn't be of help? The thought made bile rise in her throat. Maybe if she had someone else to turn to, she could learn. She could learn to be strong and defend them, even if it was unlikely for her ever to use it. Haku was probably going to send her home any day now. Did she really want to return to a life of ignorance where all she cared about was her work and knew nothing of the spirit world? What were the chances that she would fall back through a portal and remember them again? It was a miracle that she was getting small flashbacks now. Even without the flashbacks, she liked it here. She liked working at the bathhouse and helping the spirits that came in injured. There was no denying that it was more fulfilling than sitting behind a desk all day pushing papers and overseeing her team. She had already been gone so long, had they written her off and found someone to replace her? Did she have anything to really go back to? Curling up on the bed, Chihiro felt a single tear creep down as her fingers continued draw patterns on the sheets. Empty beds, empty chairs, empty tables…only the living mourn.

 _Haku sprawled out on the sandy bank of his river and let the water lap over his feet. He had been here before. He knew this dream so well, yet he had no way of knowing what variation of it he would have tonight. Ever since he made this place, his sanctuary, he dreamed of bringing her here. The gentle sound of flowing water and the distant roar of waterfalls whispered their secrets to him as he waited for her to arrive. She always arrived dressed beautifully in a yukata or kimono, as one would expect of a sacrifice to a river god. The elemental part of his being waited anxiously, swirling torrents of current around his calves. Anticipating her arrival, Haku looked towards the sound of footsteps with a smile. Wearing the same yukata as his dream before, Chihiro slowly walked forward as she observantly looked around them. Her long hair lay unbound, weaving gently about her shoulders as she walked forward. A smile crossed her lips as she focused in on him. Scrambling to his feet, he gently took her proffered hand and bowed over it to place a kiss. She was always so beautiful. His water bubbled excitedly behind him and tried to move up the bank some to get closer to her._

 _"It's beautiful here, Haku. Did you make all of this yourself," she asked quietly. A sense of déjà vu hit him, but he ignored it to answer her._

 _"Yes, I made it all for you." Chihiro blushed at his comment and Haku moved to grasp her hand in his. Her slender fingers fit so comfortably within his own._

 _"Will you introduce me to your river? It seems eager to meet me." Haku looked back at the bubbling water as it waited happily for her. It wanted nothing more than to surround her. It was even warming the water temperature near them considerably so she might be more comfortable in its cool depths. Ignoring the voice in his head warning him against haste, he bent down to gently remove her tabi and zeta. Leading her into the water, she gasped as the water reached up to her knees. Watching her expression carefully, he saw the way her smile grew in delight as his water "spoke" to her. His water couldn't speak to her directly, but it could happily push images and feelings into her mind as to what it felt and saw. Suddenly a wall of water splashed over him. Sputtering, he barely had time to dodge before another attack of water followed. Splashing back, he laughed as they sprayed each other like children. However, it didn't take long for Haku to overpower her and tackle her into the water. Blushing at her soft form against his, he released her body but held her hand beneath the rippling surface._

 _Pulling her out into deeper water, he felt the currents shift as the water adjusted to the drag from her yukata. With half closed eyes, Chihiro followed Haku out until the water was at her chest level. His water was thinking a million miles a minute, throwing images at him and her as if tried to show him what it wanted. Pushing them together, he felt Chihiro wrap her arms around him and he pulled them both out into the deep water well above either of their heads. The sensations and feelings running through him were overloading his brain. It was too perfect. How could he want anything more than her? It had always been her, from the moment she first stumbled across his river. All he wanted was for her to stay in his arms forever. As firm lips pressed against his own, his eyes opened and he saw her pull slightly away to look at him._

 _"I love you, Haku," she whispered before kissing him again. He kissed her back with all of the love in his heart and knew it was right. He would propose to her and ask her to be his wife, his soul mate, his everything. When she said yes, he would bring her back here and complete what he started the day her little pink shoe fell into his river. They would become one and she would be his until the end of time. Pushing away from him, Chihiro laughed as she swam a few steps away and floated peacefully. Haku couldn't help the smile of content as he watched her and matched her floating position in the water. Staring up at the cavern ceiling, he felt a deep happiness growing in his chest as he thought about the ring he would make her and the wedding they would have. His water seemed to bubble in happiness that matched his own and he closed his eyes in contentment. She didn't know it yet, but he had quite a few ideas on the matter._

 _Feeling a disturbance in the water beneath him, he wondered if she was trying to sneak up on him and continue their water fight. Sneak up on a dragon in his element, he snorted in laughter, as if. Turning, he looked to towards where she had previously been floating only to find the water glass still. Suddenly the deep sense of contentment in his water and body made sense in a sickening way. Diving down, he saw her deep in his river's clutches as it gently played with her hair. Her eyes looked out unseeing in their glazed over state and her head loll back unsupported with the current. There was no thump of life in her chest. Panicking he felt the sense of déjà vu as he clutched her to his chest and brought her to the surface. His water didn't understand that she needed to breathe as a human, that she wasn't part of them yet. It hadn't meant to harm her, just show her how deeply it loved her and never wanted her to leave. As they broke the surface, he cried out her name and pulled the water out of her lungs. Haku couldn't breathe over the panic grasping at his chest. Rushing to shore, he put her body down on the sand and pushed hard on her chest. The sound of ribs breaking did nothing to stop him as he tried to push life back into her. Forcing his magic into her, he tried to repeat what he had done years ago, but her body remained empty beneath him. Crying out her name, he kept pushing as he prayed for one more miracle. He would do it right if Fate would give him just one more chance! As his magic ran out and his arms protested any further movement, he clutched her body to him and cried. Magic cannot bring back the dead._

Haku startled awake covered in a cold sweat. Looking around he saw the late afternoon sun peaking in his window and took a shaky breath in relief. It was all just a dream. Wiping a hand across his forehead, he used his other to remove the tangled sheet from around his bare legs. Ignoring his half-dressed state, Haku moved quickly from the bed. He needed to see that she was alright. Stopping outside her door, he froze and wondered if she would be angry at him for disturbing her. Not any more angry than she was last night he thought darkly as he opened the door a crack to peek inside. The empty bed made his heart drop and he pushed the door further open. She didn't return last night… probably sleeping in Lin's room. Guilt swept through him as he walked towards her neatly made bed. The flowers he had been sending her daily sat in vases around the room. Clothes stuck out of the wardrobe and a pair of socks were left abandoned on the floor by the window. It was clear that the space was lived in and he could almost feel her residual energy there. Sitting at the foot of the bed, he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He needed to apologize for last night the next time he saw her. Haku knew he was right, but he didn't have to force her with magic to prove his point. There was no good excuse for that.

He sat there for a long while thinking about her and what he should do with her. It was too dangerous to send her back now, but it was only a matter of time until the bathhouse attacked. Haku didn't want her in the fight, and there was no way that he could stay back to protect her. As master of the bathhouse, he would be expected to go out and defend the town. Lin and Yui were both reasonable warriors, but they were needed on the bathhouse defenses. Groaning in annoyance, Haku rubbed his eyes and stalked back to his bedroom to face plant into his bed. It was too early to try and solve the world's problems.

Chihiro successfully avoided Haku throughout the day as she completed her tasks. Much to Lin's surprise, Chihiro excused herself early in the evening. Swiping some snacks from the kitchen, she headed down to the infirmary. Her arrival was greeted with a cheer as she passed the treats out among the patients. Okita was learning how to use crutches from Yui as she sat down to work on Hikaru's dressing change.

"Could you keep an eye on him while I run upstairs real quick? I got something I need to do," Yui asked. Nodding her head yes, Chihiro was left alone in the infirmary. Okita hobbled on by moving from his bed to the fireplace and back. Keeping an eye on him, she smiled as she saw him trying to figure out the easiest way to turn.

"He looks quite happy," Hikaru said peering over her head at Okita.

"Yes, he has been waiting for this for quite some time. The staff better prepare themselves for all sorts of trouble," she replied quietly. Okita stopped in front of a neighboring monkey spirit and made a big show of offering him a small piece of candy. As the monkey thanked him and unfolded the green and red wrapping, the candy exploded into confetti all over him. Laughing Okita scrambled back to his bed as the monkey shook his head with a sigh. Covering her laugh up with a cough, Chihiro smirked down as the white dressings in her hand. "He should have seen that one coming."

"Only a fool would trust a Tanuki of his caliber. I can only imagine what he does when he is scouting and placing false trails with traps for the enemy," Hikaru commented with a small smirk, "You should have seen the trick he played on the Yuna Kyoko yesterday morning. He slicked down a patch of the floor with jellyfish gel and she slipped in it sliding like a seal across the floor. Her yukata was up around her hips and everyone got a good view of her white panties." Chihiro muffled her laughter as the mental image of the stern stoic Kyoko sliding across the floor like that. Stunts like that were the reason the nurses weren't fond of Okita, but he never tried anything like that on her. Exploding confetti candy, yes once, but for the most part he treated her as if she were a side kick to his mischievous endeavors. "It is good to hear your laughter. You were very tense when you came in today."

"I had a lot on my mind from yesterday," Chihiro replied vaguely as she finished cleaning the wounds and started putting the clean dressings into place.

"Don't think much of what we did. We are hard like stone," he said showing her a hardened fist in emphasis.

"Yeah, stone alright," Chihiro teased as she poked a soft spot and he growled reflexively. Okita laughed at them and smirked.

"He's got a point, Chihiro. By our standards, you are a delicate flower."

"Call me a flower again and I'll come over there and burn your crutches," she threateningly joked. Mocking a fake stab wound to the chest, Okita fell backwards with a groan.

"Oh no! Not the crutches, oh kami-sama save me!" All three of them laughed at his display before being interrupted by the salamander coughing by the fireplace. Dropping his smirk, Hikaru looked over towards the salamander with a worried expression. Excusing herself, Chihiro walked over to investigate. The salamander was sitting up, holding a handkerchief to his mouth as he coughed into it.

"Excuse me sir, would you like a glass of water," Chihiro asked as she neared the end of his bed.

"Yes, please," he rasped before coughing harshly into his square of fabric. Hurrying past the staring Okita and Hikaru, Chihiro retrieved a cold glass of water and brought it back to him. Bowing and muttering his thanks, he scrunched up the handkerchief in his hand and took small sips from the glass.

"Can I get you anything else for the pain or the cough," Chihiro asked hesitantly. She wasn't sure what she could give him that the nurses or Yui hadn't already given him, but if it would help she would try. Shaking his head no, he waved her away. Frowning slightly, Chihiro walked back to Hikaru and Okita and took a seat at the end of Hikaru's cot. Starting into a tale of the one time he fooled a group of archers into shooting their own cavalry, Okita distracted most of the infirmary with his dramatic story telling. All except the salamander who was staring at his crumbled handkerchief speckled with black chunks.

"If you have a moment, I would like to discuss the upcoming matsuri." Haku looked up from his accounts to examine the infirmary warden. He was surprised to see her so far from the infirmary during a sunny day.

"Of course, Watari-san I always have time for you. The matsuri is in a month, yes? Are the committees working efficiently?" Yui sat down in one of the big chairs across from Haku's desk before folding her legs daintily.

"Yes, everything is on schedule and coming together quite nicely. I would like to propose a small change in the program." Haku nodded to show he was listening when Yui hesitated. Taking a deep breath, she continued on confidently. "The original plan was for me to perform the summoning dance and then we would conduct the cleansing ceremony together. However, I would like to train Chihiro to take my place instead. Using an actual human for the ceremony should improve the effectiveness of the purification and her identity would be concealed with the masked headdress." Haku thought it over for a few moments in silence. If Chihiro agreed to stay for the matsuri, then it would give him a little more time to figure out how to break the news to her. There was little risk to her in the ceremony as long as he was the one she summoned. Haku had not received any notice that anyone from the Capital was going to attend the matsuri so that shouldn't be a problem. If anything came up, it would be easy to revert to having Yui perform the ceremony as originally planned.

"You must ask her permission and Lin's permission. Lin will be the one to miss her the most," Haku replied as he looked back to his papers.

"As you wish, Master Haku." With a bow, Yui turned her back and left the room. If Haku had seen the smirk on her face, he might have reconsidered his decision.


	15. Chapter 14

Howdy everyone! I have successfully graduated with a BS in biomedical engineering. My family officially left town and I am finally free to work on my writing. Thanks for all of your continued support and well wishes as I went through this period in my life. I need to catch up on all of my writing because I may or may not have started writing a third fanfiction that I haven't posted yet *cough cough* Hermione/Krum *cough* undercover *cough* political corruption *hacks up sputum and checks it for signs of TB before throwing away handkerchief*.

The upcoming chapters are going to rotate between super short and horrendously long since I dislike cutting scenes in the middle of the action. As you will notice, this chapter is short, but the next chapter will be much longer. As we begin to approach the climax of this arc or as I like to refer to it as 'the part where I get to knock over all of the dominoes I have lined up', please keep in mind that the overall story will be two arcs. I will end Shadow Wars at the end of this arc and start the second/final arc after a hiatus.

Next Chapter will be posted on June 1st.

 **Chapter 14:**

Yui sat down at the dinner table beside Lin and Chihiro as if it were completely common for her to be in the upper levels of the bathhouse. The frogs and yuna gossiped quietly in the background as they wondered what could have brought the crane spirit up from her usual habitat. Though perturbed by the matron's presence, Lin had the dark suspicion that she already knew what the crane was going to ask. Feigning ignorance as to the woman's motive, Lin dug into her food as Chihiro greeted Yui warmly. Crunching happily on the fish in her bowl, Yui struck up conversation with Chihiro on the different workings of the bathhouse and the upcoming festival.

"If I am still here when the festival rolls around, I would be happy to attend it if Lin doesn't need me here."

"When I talked to Haku earlier this afternoon he seemed fairly confident that you would be here through the festival since Zeniba hasn't made any progress. Between you and me, I have this terrible gut feeling that I won't be able to attend the festival."

"Why is that? Don't you have to perform the cleansing dance?"

"Well I don't have the Mind's eye to see the future, but sometimes I get gut feelings and they are always spot on. I am supposed to perform the dance, but if it rains or something comes up then there will be no one to replace me. Everyone is already so busy and it's just a feeling…" Chihiro frowned as she thought about all of the spirits that would be relying on that cleansing dance to purify them. If the dance wasn't performed at the end of the festival, then what would be the point of the water festival? Lin saw the way that Chihiro's face scrunched up in concern at the way Yui laid the bait before her. Heaving a loud sigh, Lin decided to help Yui push Chihiro into the trap.

"I can manage just fine on my own Chihiro. Why don't you learn the purification dance so everyone doesn't have to listen to Watari-san worrying over the next few weeks? You can work with her in the morning and then assist me in the evening after our lunch break."

"I don't know much about purification rituals or dancing, but if it would make you feel better…"

"It would mean the world to me," Yui stated with a smile.

Lin sliced the last of the seaweed before heaving a sigh. With Chihiro gone to begin training with Yui, the morning seemed almost back to normal. Except for the dragon stalling outside of the doorway trying to discreetly gather his courage to enter… Before Chihiro had arrived, Haku would have just sauntered in and spoken to her. Setting the tray in place, Lin began the assembly of the sushi that would become everyone's lunch. The chef was shorthanded after the field mouse spirit that assisted in the kitchen had burnt her hand and had to be sent down to the infirmary. Taking her time, she listened to Haku breathing outside of the door.

"You might as well come in. I already know you're there," Lin said with a hint of exasperation. Trying to hold onto some of his pride, Haku walked in and took a seat at the counter across from her. Frowning at him, she clicked her tongue, "If you are going to be bothering me, then you might as well help." Getting up from his seat, he rolled up his sleeves and began to wash his hands under the faucet.

"Chihiro didn't come home again last night. Has she been staying with you?" The creases on Lin's forehead deepened and she felt herself frown in thought. She had thought that they had already made up since Chihiro had been going upstairs early to see Haku like usual. Apparently she must have been going somewhere else. That would also explain why she hadn't been seeing Haku hanging around them at work the past few days. Haku began to roll sushi beside her and found the tedious process relieving. Lin's reaction had been all he needed to know that she hadn't been going there either.

"No. If she hasn't been with you, then maybe she has been staying with Kamaji. One of you needs to break the ice and apologize."

"I was planning on apologizing to her last night, but she never came home. Where is she this morning? Perhaps it would be easier to try and corner her at work."

"Last I saw she was on her way to Yui's shrine for dance rehearsal."

"She agreed to do it," Haku asked surprised. He had been expecting for her to refuse Watari-san over the chance that she might not be present for the matsuri.

"She has agreed to train for it in the likelihood that Yui will not be present. Tell me Haku, you aren't really planning on having her do the ceremony are you? Even with the mask on, surely someone is bound to notice that the energy you two cause together is different than that of two spirits performing a cleansing ritual."

"Human and spirit rituals are extremely powerful and we need as much power as we can get. As long as she stays under the radar during the festival and everyone at the bathhouse keeps their mouth shut about her true nature, there should be no problem."

"And how are you going to manage that? Call a staff meeting and growl at everyone until they all agree to not mention her humanity," Lin joked. Some part of her recognized that Haku might seriously try something like that if he thought it would work. Opening her mouth to take it back before he could heavily consider it, she was stopped by Haku's chuckle.

"No. In case you haven't noticed, everyone around here is fairly enamored with Chihiro. Even the guests have been asking for her to stop by and chat with them during their visit. I think it will be fine."

"You are unusually optimistic for the grumpy dragon that's been stalking around the bathhouse the past few months." Haku considered her words with an eye roll.

"Keep up that cheeky attitude and I'll make sure you are working the last night of the matsuri. The formal ball will run much smoother without a single, beautiful weasel spirit like yourself parading about." Throwing a smirk at him, Lin wiped her hands on her apron and grabbed a hand towel.

"As if I would attend a prattish event like that! You can bet your scales that I will be downstairs drinking with the rest of the bathhouse deemed unrefined enough for that stuck up dance. We will be having the real party down here," Lin said as she used the towel to hit at Haku's knees. Dodging the blow, Haku popped a piece of sushi into his mouth in rebellion and hauled ass out of there. "And don't you worry! Chihiro will be the life of the party and not miss you one bit!"

The wooden Torri gates stood behind them melting into the evening sky as Yui and Chihiro cleansed their bodies in front of the shrine. Spitting the water out of her mouth, Chihiro followed Yui up the center of the dirt plaza towards the looming central building. After they paid their respects, they walked together to a small side entrance of the left side building. Ditching their shoes before stepping up onto the beautifully polished hardwood floor, Yui began showing her around the quarters. The sweet smell of tatami wafted up from the floors mixing with the night air blowing in from the interior garden. The practice room was open to the garden and was essentially empty. Excusing herself to grab some cushions, Yui left Chihiro alone. Wandering forward, Chihiro stopped at the edge of the room before it dropped into the garden. The sight of a bell hanging over a well in the center of the garden caught her eye and she stood there considering it. The black bell was unusual with its burnt scars and moss patch. A small ivory bell hammer hung from two nails on a post holding up the bell. Something about the bell sent shivers down Chihiro's spine and she completely didn't hear Yui approach with the pillows.

"Strange isn't it? Even I find it hard to look away from sometimes," she said breaking the silence surrounding them. Breaking her stare at the bell, Chihiro looked back as Yui set the cushions up across from each other.

"Is it magic," Chihiro asked as she took a seat on the offered cushion across from Yui. She looked back at the bell and felt the same tingling sensation towards it as before.

"Silly girl," Yui laughed as she smiled as Chihiro, "Of course it's magic. You are in the Spirit World are you not? Or perhaps you have let your mind wander back to the land from which it came." Smiling distractedly, Chihiro refused to break her gaze with the bell. Feeling her smile fade, Yui sighed as she seated herself on the opposite cushion and looked at the bell as well. "Would you care to know how that bell came to rest there?"

Chihiro wordlessly nodded her head as she memorized the faint details on the bell that she could see. She did not see the way that Yui's body slouched under an invisible weight as she thought through her memories. Speaking in a rich voice, Yui spun the tale as they both looked onto the bell.

"Long ago, that bell stood in a shrine shared by a young delta spirit and wetland spirit that worked together in harmony. The land was fertile and abundant in plant life, making it a haven for the small village of humans that had settled in the nearby woods. They built the shrine to the kami pair and worshiped them fervently. The wetland spirit became enamored with the villagers and took human form to live amongst them. She would come home to the delta spirit in delight and tell her about all of the strange adventures that she had had with her humans. However the trash from the village and the farmlands they built into her wetlands began to make her sick. As she grew weaker and weaker, the delta spirit learned medicine to heal her friend, but secretly harbored anger in her heart. The village continued to grow, and the wetland spirit asked nothing of the humans she loved. The delta spirit couldn't understand why her friend would give herself up to the humans in such a manner and became distraught. Her emotions swayed the level of the water in the delta, but the wetland spirit deflected any floods away the village. When time had passed and the villagers had yet again expanded their farmlands into the wetlands, the wetland spirit went to them and begged them to stop the destructive expansion. This time however, the villagers greeted her in anger and hatred. They were angry that there was a famine and that they could not expand their fields any further after tearing all of the nutrients out of the ground they had been given. Cursing her, they chased her back to the shrine they had built and set it on fire. Despite the rain, the fire burned the shrine down and finished off what was left of the wetlands. The delta spirit found her dear friend murdered beside the ashes of the shrine the next morning. In anger over her friend's death and the rush of power that comes with roaring rain, the delta spirit flooded the lands killing all of the humans and wiped the town off of the land. When the waters finally settled, the delta spirit wept in loneliness and properly saw to the disposal of all of the bodies."

"The delta spirit wandered the shores grieving for months and spent many a nights flooding the region and kicking up rain storms. She kept asking herself why the wetland spirit would give herself so willingly to what she saw as parasites upon their land. Why hadn't she stopped them once the wetland spirit had become some sick? Guilt and questions rattled her brain and she wandered upstream to the edge of her delta. One afternoon as she wandered about, a thunderstorm hit bringing a flood of water downstream. Using her powers to settle the water throughout the delta, she didn't notice the large metal bear trap on the ground until she accidentally stepped into it. Wailing out in pain, the delta spirit tried to use her feathers to open the trap from around her leg, but as you can imagine a crane form is difficult to open such a trap. Rain poured down and the delta spirit considered her options heavily. Before she could try converting to a human form, an old man came upon her and took pity. Freeing her from the trap, he carefully wrapped her wounded leg and offered her water from his water skin. Bewildered at his behavior, the delta spirit ignored the offered water and flew back to her home to rest. When she was healed, the delta spirit found herself thinking back to the man who had helped her. She returned to the woods and for the first time, took a human form. Hunting around, she found the same old man living in a small cottage with an elderly wife at the far edge of where the river to the north transitioned off into her delta. It was an area always liable to flood every time it rained, but the delta spirit had never felt any need to protect that region since it was so close to the main river. As it began to rain again, the delta spirit diverted the water away and at nightfall raised the courage to go knock on the cottage door. Lying to the old couple she told them that she was lost, and they welcomed her into their home. Accepting their offer to stay the night, she observed them and found herself intrigued. Was this the goodness of humans that the wetland spirit had seen behind all of their obtrusive nature?"

"The delta spirit began to spend many days visiting the old couple's cottage, and began to feel guilty for killing off those in the village who hadn't been involved in the wrongdoing. It was possible for humans to have kindness among the other qualities that she had not recognized as she watched them destroy her best friend from the inside out. In time, she became like family to the old couple and learned of how they struggled to make ends meet. The delta spirit offered to help them if they would but just bring her some thread. Giving her the thread, she made them promise not to open the door to the room as she spun. Agreeing readily they left her alone in the room and she reverted back to her natural form to weave the thread into cloth. She spun all day and night, plucking her own feathers to put into the fabric to bring beauty and magic into the cloth. When she was finished she presented the cloth to the old man and instructed him to sell the cloth at the market and bring back more thread. For several months this went on, until the old man became curious how she could spin such beautiful cloth and snuck a peek. He saw the girl in her natural crane form and recognized the scar upon her leg, marking her as the crane he had saved. Giving him the last cloth, the delta spirit thanked the couple for their kindness towards her and explained that she must leave now since they had seen her true form."

"And where did you go from there, Yui?" Chihiro's question brought Yui's eyes up from the ground where they had become plastered as she had become lost in her memories. It was so much easier to handle all of her emotions when she separated herself from them. Leave it to a bright girl like Chihiro to know instantly that the story was her own.

"I returned back to the ruins of the old village and found that my water had retracted significantly. I was no longer angry at humans and had come to terms with the loss of life I had caused. Perhaps if I had not stayed so distant from the village, I would have seen the warning signs and saved the wetland spirit. When I returned to the place where the village once stood, everything was gone except the bell- burnt, scarred, and moss covered from its time in the water. I realized that some part of my best friend's magic still resided in the bell though she was long dead and so I brought it back to our home in the delta. Over the years, my power and water began to wane as dams were built upstream, but I continued to watch over the couple in the cottage from a distance. I watched their son return with his wife and live there, and so on as generations passed. Every time it rains I continue to go there and divert water from flooding their lands. Several years ago, my water became a small trickle and I found myself dying out. Not ready to die, I knew that there had to be a way to survive if I looked hard enough. I had heard rumors that the master of the Eastern bathhouse had severed his essence from his human river completely and did not degrade into a Shadow, so I traveled here to ask him how. Water spirits have always been able to divide their essence and put it into multiple places, and as a delta spirit I knew I should be capable of doing it, but I was scared. I wanted to pull out completely, not scatter my soul between the worlds. If I could just yank up all of my essence to return back to the spirit world, I knew I could leave the human world completely and leave my delta to die peacefully."

"What do you mean your essence," Chihiro interrupted with a look of confusion. Yui's story had drawn her away from the bell and she sat at the edge of her cushion listening attentively.

"All spirits have an essence that makes up who they are. It isn't so much of a form as it is a personality, memories, and the energy of life itself. When spirits are born, we bind in some manner to the worlds and our essence is typically given completely over to that place or element. It is extremely difficult and painful to pull your essence out, let alone divide it, and of course you always run the risk of overwhelming yourself. That's why everyone says water spirits are the strongest fighters against the Tainted and also the greatest adversaries. When fighting for good, they can typically purge themselves of impurities as long as their essence isn't taken. When a water spirit falls to the Tainted…well let's just say it is extremely difficult to find someone's essence and destroy it."

"So what did you do then? What did Haku tell you?"

"Haku couldn't tell me what he had done to completely separate from the human world, but said if I were successful in the move that there was an old shrine nearby that needed a new caretaker. He did however ask Zeniba to help me with the process and we were only partially successful. I left only a tiny bit of myself behind, just enough to control the water surrounding the cottage from flooding. We stored the rest of my essence into the water in the well there and hung the bell overtop to mask its signature. If there is ever a true emergency, Haku knows to ring the bell and I will come running…as long as the town hasn't fallen to the Tainted and burnt to the ground," Yui joked dryly.

"You have to be one of the most amazing spirits I have ever met, Yui-san," Chihiro said in open admiration before reaching over to grab her folded hands, "I am honored that you shared your story with me." Wiping away a stray tear from her large brown eyes, Yui lifted her sad smile.

"Now that that's out of the way, let's get started on something much more important. Today I'm going to be teaching you how to enter into meditation. When you are conducting the ceremony you will be going into a form of meditation and I think you would benefit from the practice of centering your mind prior to we begin going over movements."


	16. Chapter 15

I have not had a single moment to write in over a week due to back-to-back daily night/day shifts. I'm not sure if I will have time to write this week either, but luckily this job madness will be coming to an end soon. The good news is that I have a heavily detailed plot arc finished and am chomping at the bit to write the ending to this arc. However, I'm concerned I haven't developed enough character depth/relationship to make the ensuing events believable. I'm somewhat torn between writing it to get it out of my system and then going back to edit it/fluff up depth before writing the second arc and dragging out the next 4-8 chapters trying to figure out more depth before getting on with it. **Do you guys have any preference as the readers?** I'd like to hear your feedback before moving forward. Thanks again for your continued support, patience, and general awesomeness.

Next chapter will probably drop on **June 6th**.

 **Chapter 15:**

Chihiro ate dinner with Lin down in the main break room by the kitchen surrounded by most of the staff. The room was loud with the bubbling cacophony of conversations and the sound of dishware clattering. Slurping her ramen, Chihiro thought back to the slow morning meditating with Yui. While Yui seemed to become a stone statue, Chihiro found herself fidgeting after only a few moments of the supposed exercised breathing. It felt like they had sat there forever as Yui began to quietly hum and lit a chunk of incense. They had focused on breathing as the smoke filled their lungs and Chihiro had finally found herself relaxing enough to sit still and balance. When she had returned to the bathhouse, the infirmary had been roiling after another set of pranks by Okita. Yui had went off to handle that and after a quick wave to Hikaru, Chihiro had slipped back upstairs. She hadn't made it far before being captured by Lin, who was leaving the kitchen to head to the big tubs. Though Lin had seemed abnormally quiet, she didn't think much of it and before long they had heard the bell for dinner. Silently eating her ramen, Lin tried not to frown at her. Why hadn't Chihiro told her where she had been going all this time? Had she seen through her attempts to get her closer to Haku? Both girls startled at a loud "excuse me" from beside their table.

The loud thump of the bathhouse master's knees hitting the wooden floor silenced the entire room in an instant. Squeezing his fists tight on their place on his thighs, he bowed his head and apologized loudly for wronging Chihiro. It was apparent that he was prepared to drop into a dogeza should she refuse his apology. The girl in question shot straight up out of her seat and began waving her hands frantically telling him to get up.

"It's ok Haku. Just please get up."

"Not until you say you forgive me."

"I forgive you. There's no need to make a scene. Come on," Chihiro tried to yank him off the floor, "Let's talk outside." Slowly getting up, the noise resumed in the room as everyone stared at them. With a quick bow to Lin excusing herself, Chihiro dragged Haku out of the room and straight out of the bathhouse. Watching them leave, Lin shook her head and smacked the palm of her hand to her forehead. Why in all of kami's green meadows would Haku do that? What an uproar they left behind! People were no longer trying to be shy about the discussion and were loudly asking if anyone knew what that was about. Yelling at them to mind their own business, Lin ditched her own dinner to seek the refuge of the boiler room. Surely Kamaji would have an idea of what was going on.

Chihiro pulled Haku through the maze of the bathhouse out into the empty side garden she had sat beside on a rainy day. Releasing his arm, she moved a few steps away and caught her breath for a moment before turning back to him.

"There was no need to go that far. The whole bathhouse will be gossiping for days," Chihiro exclaimed with a sigh. She didn't really mind talking to Lin or Kamaji about her problems, but getting everyone involved was too much.

"I wanted you to know how serious my apology is. Please come home Chihiro. There's no need for you to hide away any longer." The sincere expression on Haku's face made Chihiro all the more exasperated. Surely as functional adults they could talk this out and compromise, right? Turning her back on him, Chihiro sighed and avoided the request.

"Yui is teaching me the purification dance for the matsuri. She thinks it isn't a waste of time or space to teach me something that I'm clearly at a disadvantage for when I can't summon magic. I want to learn self-defense, Haku, even if I am at a disadvantage." Haku's brow furrowed at the word self-defense and suddenly it all made sense in his mind. He had misinterpreted her vague words earlier as a desire to join the cause and fight. Feeling truly guilty now, he wrung his hands together behind his back. There was only one real way of fixing this and he wasn't even sure if he was truly capable of doing it.

"If you truly mean self-defense," Haku started hesitantly. Chihiro turned around and looked hard at him. He was hesitant and from his expression it was obvious that he was torn. Starting again he seemed to steady out his voice, "If you truly mean self-defense and you aren't planning on running out to save the town, then I think we can make some sort of agreement. You already know the odds and why I think it would be impractical, however there could come a time when such a knowledge could benefit you. If you agree to come home, then I will make the time to show you a thing or two before bed each night."

Offering her hand out, Chihiro waited for him to take it in a firm handshake before replying. "I would greatly appreciate it," she said with a small smile. His lips were drawn in a firm line and he nodded his head. Releasing her small fragile hand from his own, he wondered if he could even do it. Teaching required some physical practice and for that he would have to be the one to attack her. It's not like he could ask someone else to do it and sit on the sidelines. He would leap in to save her in a moment's instant, but now he had to play the culprit. The dragon within him preened in expectation as it thought about the chase, but the more logical part of him was worrying about all of the things that could go wrong. Haku excused himself with the excuse that they would start tomorrow since he needed time to finish up some last errands and bowed to her. Changing to his dragon form, he flew away into the sky as she watched him from below.

Chihiro sat in the garden for a while before slowly making her way upstairs to Haku's flat. Pushing the door open, the large desk was still covered in papers, though granted it seemed to be a different stack than what was there a few days back. Peeking into the living area, she saw the door to Haku's room closed and the balcony door open to the evening breeze. Making herself a cup of tea, she saw the town below beginning to shut down for the night as sunrise was near upon them. Bringing the tea with her, Chihiro opened the door to her room and nearly dropped the tea cup in surprise. Inside the room, all of the vases of flowers had been replaced with fresh flowers and her bed was neatly made with rose petals over top. A piece of notebook paper was folded on top of her pillow and its message made a small smile form on her lips as she blushed prettily. Tucking the note into the nightstand with great consideration, she got ready for bed.

Chihiro had managed better at meditation the following morning, but was reprimanded several times by Lin for her lack of concentration in the afternoon. The weasel spirit seemed to be in a piss poor mood and she was relieved when dinner was over and it was time for her to head upstairs. However as she entered the flat, the same sort of tension hung overhead. Haku sat at his desk nearly growling at the stacks of paper surrounding him. Chihiro considered walking along the edge of the room to her room without disturbing him, but he stared at her the moment she closed the door behind her.

"Give me a moment to get prepared and I'll be right with you," Haku said with a sigh as he stood up from his chair, "In the meantime, I would suggest you change into the clothes I left out on your bed." Nodding her head, Chihiro excused herself to her room and looked over the tight black shorts and tank top folded neatly on her desk. Wondering why he thought these clothes necessary, she got changed and tightened her pony tail before stepping out. The desk and its papers had disappeared from the room along with the carpet, chairs, bookshelves, and odd knick-knacks lying about that had defined the room as a well-used office. The hardwood floor had been covered in a firm mat that Chihiro gingerly tested with one foot. The door from the living room slid open and Haku walked confidently in with his usual stride. For the first time, she could see the sleek definition of his muscular body as he was in a state of dress that was near identical to what she was wearing. Heading straight for the door to the flat, he locked it before addressing Chihiro with a small frown.

"I will not go easy on you. I will push you to the limits of your physical form and try to break your will with my own. Are you sure you still want me as your teacher," Haku asked as he openly examined her. Stopping in the center of the room, he pulled up to his full height and tried to let the seriousness of the situation settle in. Rolling off her socks, Chihiro walked across the open mat to stand in front of him. She wasn't going to back down from a challenge.

"I wouldn't want it any other way."

"It will take a lot more than self-defense lessons to make you somewhat proficient. We need to build strength into your muscles. It will be rough." Chihiro snorted at his comment, but held her laughter.

"I like it rough," Chihiro drawled back with a cocky smile. Haku could try to scare her out of this all he wanted, but she wasn't going to back down. He had agreed to teach her and she was going to wring everything out of him that she could get. An eyebrow shot up at her response and he tried to stifle the saucy smile that came with it.

"Well, we will see about that," he said as he quickly rolled the kinks out of his neck, "When we are up here, we will always begin with stretching and a brief warmup. After that, we will work on basic movements and building up your body strength. Every time that you reach a milestone, I will hide a small object with the name of a location and a time written on it somewhere that you are likely to find it. Should you find it and meet me at the given destination at the correct time then we will spar and you will have a chance to use what you've learned in a safe setting. If you should fail, then the opportunity to practice will have passed and we will move onto the next thing." Nodding her head in understanding, Chihiro felt the gravity of the situation. Haku was going to teach her and for that, she was grateful.

That gratitude however died out somewhere between the five kilometer run around the bathhouse and the plank exercises. He was Spartan with his exercise and technique, even correcting the angle of Chihiro's punch as she slightly wobbled out of exhaustion. Letting her hold the stance with her arm outstretched, he walked slowly around her checking her form. It was easy to smell her exhaustion and sweat from the past two hours of activities. Honestly, he was surprised she had lasted so long without complaint when it was obvious that she was struggling to stay upright. The outfit he had chosen out for her enabled him to see every curve of her, which while exciting was also practical for fixing her every move. Chihiro was probably the fastest learner he had ever taught, but it would still be some time before her muscles caught up with the techniques they were covering. Giving her the cue to relax, he offered her a glass of cold water. Thanking him she gulped it down. Sitting down, Haku began stretching out and she soon joined him on the floor.

"Not bad for your first time. Don't look so beaten. I told you from the start that we were going to have to work on your stamina." Muttering her thanks, she began mimicking his stretching. He had been the demon instructor that she had guessed he might be, but if anything he was just brutally honest. Chihiro wasn't sure how much longer she could have lasted when he had finally offered her water. She had survived their first lesson it seemed and Haku hadn't even broken out a sweat! As they finished up stretching, Chihiro let out a sigh of relief as she laid out flat on the cool mat. "I would suggest showering before you fall asleep. Your muscles will thank you for it tomorrow."

Mumbling out something sarcastic, the sound was muffled by the mat. Smirking at her splayed out form, Haku considered his options. Their first lesson was finally over and he was in a surprisingly good mood after how well it had gone. Deciding to ease her into the pain that was to come, he stepped closer to her.

"Don't move I'm going to help you with the soreness." Chihiro mumbled her agreement, not that she could have moved an inch from that spot if she wanted to. Straddling her back, Haku felt her stiffen quickly beneath him, but she did not move away. Moving his slim fingers along her spine, he let them curl into the base of her neck. Massaging her head and neck gently, he subtly knit some magic into her. Trying not to get distracted by how soft her hair was, he slowly let his fingers wander over the tops of her shoulders and finally, down the center of her spine. Letting out a quiet moan into the floor, Chihiro felt the air in the room seemed to freeze around them. Somewhere caught between enjoying the massage and horrendously turned on by his wicked fingers on her body, Chihiro hoped that he didn't notice the sounds she was making. Unfortunately for her, Haku's dragon hearing had had no difficulties in picking up the sound that his imagination had been seeking. His fingers stilled on the small of her back, tempted to move lower and sink into the tender flesh of her backside that he hovered his weight over. Ignoring temptation, Haku leaned his chest into her back as he placed a hand on either side of her and whispered into her ear. "Does that feel better?"

Licking her lips, Chihiro considered telling him other areas that would love to feel his slender fingers at work. Returning his questioning gaze was a blushing smirk, she felt herself become all the more hot as her mind dipped south of the border. The room definitely did not have enough air in it she decided as he seemed to press just a little more firmly against her back. For a moment she considered all of the things she could do to him if she could just get herself out from underneath him. She had never been with a man before and though she had found other ways to relieve the frustration that built up over the years, that didn't mean she wasn't open to considering him. Chihiro's brain froze mid thought in wonderment. Had she been actually considering him? He was a river spirit in human form and a very serious one at that. He probably had no interest in her other than friendship, just like every other male in her life, and yet here she was considering offering herself up. The thought of being rejected yet again instantly cooled the heat that had started in her belly.

"Yeah actually, but I think you're right. A shower is exactly what I need," she replied with an exaggerated eye roll and huff. Getting off of her smoothly, Haku laid beside the spot she had previously occupied as she sat up. "You might want to hit the bath yourself, Haku. Just because you didn't sweat doesn't mean you don't stink."

"Keep up that attitude and you'll never make the first milestone," he joked back though quickly took a sniff of the area to check himself. He didn't smell anything different than his usual watery musk, except perhaps the annoyance that she was permeating over her general excitement.

"If I make the first milestone, will you give me something," Chihiro asked honestly. The handsome man that sat beside her was still making her heart race and though he had overstepped his bounds to teach her a lesson the other day, he had apologized. Surely she could capture the butterflies in her stomach long enough to say what was on the back of her mind.

"What could you possibly want," Haku laughed as he smiled at her. He would happily give her anything she wanted if she would but look at him again like that. The smell of her lust was clouding his own rationality, but his desire for her love and affection outweighed any choice of action. His blood burned steadily with the desire to complete the bonding ritual, but his human body simply wanted the joining their forms with or without the ties of making them whole. It was desperate for anything that she would give him, even if it was just a simple touch. Haku's mind wandered slightly off course as it became overwhelmed with taking in the smells surrounding them and watching her every move. He could see the sweat beginning to dry to her skin and he wondered how weirded out she would be if he offered to lick the salty substance from her. No doubt a bath of that sort would definitely lead to other things though…

"I'd like just a bit more of your time… You see, I've been wanting to visit the market again and our last outing had been interrupted…"

"I would love to take you out again," he quickly replied as his heart raced. Silently, he celebrated the opportunity of a second date, even though he wasn't quite sure if this was a date or if the first one counted at all. The market was a dangerous place and she really shouldn't be going there, but if he played his cards right... Haku's mind took off with the possibilities as it warred with the more logical tactics. Ignoring the stupid grin on his face, Chihiro got up and walked to the bathroom.

Chihiro gave him one last parting smile before moving quickly to the bathroom. As soon as the door was closed, Haku began pacing before finally giving up and walking quickly towards the balcony. Shifting forms in a heartbeat, Haku flew out into the brightening sky. Twisting this way and that, he danced with the winds and made sweeping arcs through the river, splashing water this way and that. The dragon was happy and the racing feeling in his heart came through as he inadvertently spiraled the water upward in a brilliant display as he flew. She had blushed and asked him to take her to the market! His mind raced with the possibilities of what she could be feeling and if he still had a chance with her after he screwed up the other night so badly. He would be a wonderful teacher, take her out on a great date, and surely find the right words to ask her to a formal courtship. She would fall in love with him all over again and they could be together. It was just a matter of time.

Leaning against the doorway of the bar, Taka watched the dragon make another death defying dive before stepping back inside. Lin was the last guest seated at the bar and she was finishing up her solitary drink as she continued on the rant that she had started the moment the other guests had left.

"And Chihiro has been disappearing to kami knows where! I was letting her leave early so she could go flirt it up with Haku, but no. She's got to go make this just as difficult as Haku, that dope. I just don't get him, Taka," she slurred as she traced a finger around the edge of her glass, "First he wants her gone and the next moment he is putting the moves on her. How's the girl supposed to know what he wants? How am I supposed to help her stay if I can't get him to like her again?"

"I don't think he ever truly wanted her gone," he replied as he wiped down some of the wet clean cups with a dry rag. His mind thought back to how Haku looked each morning as he watched the grass fill in with water in comparison to how he was now. Haku had stopped coming to the end of the town after the girl had arrived and though he was no expert in the complicated emotions of river spirits, Taka had a feeling that the current state of the dragon's emotions was also due to the same girl. Looking over at Lin, Taka smiled shyly. After all, what else makes a man feel such range and depth of emotions besides a woman?

"Don't you think it's weird too? Zeniba has never taken so long to find information and report back, but it's been well over a week. Something's not right with all of this…"

"Alright, come on. That's enough conspiracy theories for one night. It's time to go home." Lin hiccupped as she put back the remaining dregs of her glass before Taka could take it away from her. Wobbling off of her barstool, Lin waited patiently for Taka to clean the glass and put it away before coming to offer her an arm. Every time she came out to drink, he would always escort her back to the bathhouse if she waited until he had closed up for the night. Together they walked back to the bathhouse and he said his goodbye at the door. Watching her walk into the depths of the bathhouse, Taka let out a sigh and began his walk home. Spying the dragon now flying peacefully above the town, Taka wondered when he would take the chance to go after the girl of his dreams.


	17. Chapter 16

Thanks to everyone for your feedback, especially Trastuspies! I don't have much to say this update other than the next chapter will drop on either June 13th or June 19th depending on if I decide to split the super long chapter or not. I just don't like having a lot of time skips happening in one chapter so it will probably be split. As always thanks for your support and patience. Now if you guys will excuse me, I will be returning to the river near my house to continue writing.

 **Chapter 16:**

Sweat rolled down Chihiro's back beneath her uniform as she held only the fourth position of the morning. The smoke seemed to cloud her mind and though she tried to reach the level of meditation that Yui requested, she was far from it. They had begun covering the beginning stances and movements after morning meditation a few days ago, but it was apparent that this dance was going to be a lot more difficult than she had initially predicted. Between Haku's evening training and Yui's practices in the morning, Chihiro was already quickly getting into shape. It had only been a few days since both had started, but neither teacher had a soft hand in teaching. Telling her to do it again from the beginning, Yui watched carefully as she went through all of the motions and positions slowly. Growling at her to fix the angle of her left foot, she used the fan in her hand to lift Chihiro's arm by a few centimeters.

"Will a few centimeters make that big of a difference Yui," Chihiro whined as her muscles ached terribly. Despite Haku's short massages after practice each night, she was tender and uncomfortable everywhere. Blaming her irritability on the upcoming time of the month, she tried to keep her mouth shut but it was hard when they were stopping so regularly to correct the minutest of details. Couldn't she just learn the whole dance and then work on fixing all of the angles?

"Everything plays a part in summoning the magic," Yui snapped as shut her fan closed. Using the fan to smack Chihiro's back, she barely registered the hiss that escaped from the girl's lips as she straightened all the higher. "Every step, every movement, every spoken word- all of it brings forth the magic from the relics you will be using. Your mind must be focused on drawing Haku out to complete the cleansing ritual and then completing said ritual when he responds to you. The magic you create together depends on the accuracy and thoroughness of your actions entirely. He might be considerate enough to do the dance with you without the call and use his own magic to complete the cleansing ritual, but then the power would be no greater than that of a simple water sprite by the time it reaches the edge of the town. Do it again!"

Starting over from the beginning, Chihiro tried to ignore her growing irritation at being constantly readjusted. Yui was strict, but it was hard to fight a logical argument with her. "What makes you so confident that you won't be there to do the dance anyways," Chihiro remarked.

"When a large population of water spirits are in the same vicinity it causes water in the environment to collect where they are. In short, it will start raining when everyone begins arriving for the festival. I will have to return to my delta and you will be left to complete the cleansing ritual in my absence." Chihiro remained silent for a moment and realized that she had been led by the nose.

"You didn't have a gut feeling. You already knew that you would have to find someone to replace you because of the rain." Yui swatted her knee with the fan causing her to bend it more. Holding the position, she felt more sweat roll down her forehead and back. Circling her, Yui stared hard at every angle of her body with a stubborn frown.

"Do you know why bound spirits would often respond to the summoning dances of the shrine maidens?"

"No."

"Because rituals completed with human and spirit participation have an immense amount of power. Any ritual I could do would not even be on the same magnitude of power as any failed ritual of yours. We are at war, Chihiro, and spirits from miles around are traveling here for a cleansing ritual that will bring hope. We need you to do this for us." Chihiro sighed as her arms began to shake. It wasn't like she could say no at this point. Zeniba had yet to send word of any news, Haku wasn't going to let her go until a solution was found, and there was a mass of spirits descending on the bathhouse town for a cleansing ceremony that she was supposedly going to do. Nodding her consent, Chihiro began the movements again. Holding out a wing to stop her, Yui sniffed the air around them thoughtfully before frowning. "You have worked hard this morning and should take some time to rest. I have some work to do here so please return to your room and relax."

Chihiro did not return to her room, but took her favorite seat in the infirmary beside Hikaru and Okita, both of whom had been healing quite well. The main infirmary was surprisingly empty with the lack of patients coming in recently and most of the staff had retired to the upper levels of the bathhouse to work on other projects. Hikaru never said much, but Okita was happy to fill her in on any of the gossip he had caught regarding the happenings in the bathhouse. That is of course when he wasn't busy trying to prank everyone. Chihiro was happy to give him any information he desired and he rewarded her with a sense of partnership, despite her lack of actual participation. Denying the exploding candy again gracefully, Chihiro smiled at her two favorite patients.

"We almost never see you anymore between Watari-san running you into the ground and whatever you do upstairs in the bathhouse," Okita whined as he scooted closer to her seat between their beds. Hikaru watched the two of them with interest. His wound had healed well enough that Chihiro no longer had the change the dressing each day, but she still enjoyed stopping by when time allowed.

"Haku might be strict, but Yui is a whole new level of difficult. 'Lift your arm a centimeter higher. Point your toes more," Chihiro mocked as she stood up off of her stool and assumed one of the stances.

"Oh no Chihiro-san, your chin isn't high enough," Okita joined in a sarcastic high voice, "and that bend in your knee doesn't show the depth of your sincerity!"

"It's about time you got that angle right with your ankle," Yui calmly stated as she entered the room silently, "but he's got a point about your chin." Chuckling to himself, Okita watched the matron of the ward with an evil glimmer in his eye. He had decided that it was long overdue for someone to go after the lioness of the pack, especially when she was taking away their favorite source of entertainment- Chihiro. Ignoring the trio, Yui went to look over the salamander still hacking up a lung beside the fire. She was considering moving him to hospice, but she didn't want to give up hope just yet. He could still push past this with just a bit more magic. Her progress towards him was halted at the smell of fresh blood. Looking over at Chihiro, she noticed how the spirits surrounding her had suddenly stopped talking, taking in the smell. Chihiro continued on talking animatedly to Hikaru about the different plans for the festival and how she hoped he would be well enough to attend. For his part in the matter, Hikaru was visibly puffing up his fur to look bigger and had bent forward towards her as if to jump at a moment's notice. Even Okita was silently glaring towards the other spirits in the room wondering if any of them would be tempted by the smell of human blood. Changing directions, Yui approached them and noticed the way Hikaru curled the sheets in his fist to keep from moving to get between her and Chihiro.

"Chihiro, you should return to your room at once. I will notify Lin that you are taking some time off from work." Chihiro stopped and looked back confused at Yui.

"Why would I take time off from helping out? I know I was a bit distracted this morning, but it's just cause I didn't sleep well last night." Raising an eyebrow in judgement, Yui fluffed her own feathers in offense.

"Are you questioning my diagnosis of the situation?" The moment however was interrupted as a thick rain of white plaster powder covered the human and crane alike. Coughing to clear her lungs, Chihiro wiped the powder from her face only to notice it sticking to anything moist, which was practically everything on her between this morning's workout and the steam in the room. Grinning proudly to himself, Okita released the string that had been hiding in the curtains and watched the show of the two of them trying to wipe the now wet plaster off. He had been saving that for a better moment, but given the situation, it would have to do. Chihiro needed to get her scent covered and the fact that he got the matron as well was just a bonus.

"What the hell, Okita! I thought we were friends," Chihiro growled at him as she tried to sludge some of the plaster off into the sink. It was obvious that she was going to need to move quickly to bathe before it all dried in place.

"Sorry! Collateral damage," he replied with a wink and smiled towards his intended target that was currently washing plaster off her wings into the sink. Throwing a handful of wet plaster at him, Chihiro left Yui to her place at the sink and began dragging her way upstairs by the least visible route. Slamming into the flat, she was grateful that Haku was not around as she hurried to the bathroom. Closing the door behind her, she quickly shed her clothes and got under the showerhead. Bathing off all of the plaster was a hassle and she spent the time quietly grumbling about Okita and hoping that his prank on Yui would satisfy him to some degree. Insatiable tanuki she murmured before noticing the water beneath her knees running pink. Clasping a hand to her womanhood, she pulled it back to see that her monthly menstrual cycle had begun in full force. Groaning in annoyance, she let the water cleanse most of the blood away. Typically her period came with lots of cramps, but this time it had come so softly she had not noticed it. Perhaps that was why Yui was insisting she go upstairs…

Drying off with a large fluffy towel and wrapping it around herself, Chihiro looked longingly towards the large bath tub. It was not proper to soak in a common bathtub when on your time of the month, but the warm water could be so relaxing on tense abdominal muscles. As she stood there contemplating breaking the social etiquettes, she considered the small tub in the corner of the room. Haku had told her to avoid the small bath since the water was cold, but perhaps if she drained the water and used a bucket to add hot water to it then she could soak in peace without disturbing the main bath water. Heck she could even drain the bath water afterwards and refill it with cold water so Haku would be none the wiser. Deciding to do this, Chihiro took the cover off of the small tub and looked into it. The green stone basin had an abnormally large drain hole in the center of it that Chihiro swore could suck down a large child if it had not already been covered with a grate. As Chihiro grabbed a bucket of hot water and carried it over to the tub, she was surprised to find water bubbling out from the drain and beginning to fill the tub. Wondering what sort of magic this was, she set the bucket down and leaned over the lip of the tub to get a closer look. The water seemed to move with a life of its own as it moved in eddying currents around the bowl, but upon her leaning over it seemed to reach up quickly towards her. Straightening up to avoid the water splashing into her face, Chihiro noticed the way the water seemed to rapidly begin filling the tub and sloshing towards her. Grabbing the tub lid and slamming it back into place, Chihiro took a few steps back staring at it. Breaking free of its confinement the water threw the lid off, startling Chihiro. Scrambling backwards in shock as the water took flight, she tripped over the slick stone floor and landed hard on her butt. Bracing herself for the wave of water to hit, she heard a shout from the door.

Haku had been conversing with Lin when he felt an electric shock of excitement from his river. Knowing that his water was hidden and that no one should be anywhere near it at the moment, he stopped speaking and focused in on the sensation. His eyes dilated until the blacks of his pupils covered the green of his irises causing Lin to startle in shock. Seeing what his water saw, he instantly panicked and took flight towards the flat. Racing faster than the wind itself, Haku charged into the bathroom in time to stop his water from jumping the girl. Like an over eager puppy it jumped annoyed at his restraint from its guest, but he settled it back into the small tub. Ignoring the naked girl sprawled out on the floor as she hurriedly covered up, he communed with his water. It explained that it had heard the cover being removed and was happy to see her through its own eyes rather than his. Though his water had originally planned on trying to act like normal water so as not to scare her, it had smelled blood coming from her and moved to quickly fix it. Scolding it for scaring her and sending it back down the drain, Haku turned his attention to Chihiro. Flushed from embarrassment and breathing hard, she clutched the towel to her body and remained seat on the floor.

"Show me where the injury is. With these sorts of things, it's best if you didn't hide it and just let me treat it properly," Haku said firmly as he kneeled beside her. Chihiro blushed bright red and gaped like a fish out of water for a few moments before laughing hysterically in discomfort. Wondering if she had finally lost her mind, he debated between leaving her there laughing on the floor while he ran for help or picking her up and bringing her straight to the infirmary, towel and all. Surely Watari-san would know how to handle female hysterics, or was her response from shock of seeing his water? There didn't seem to be enough blood around to warrant shock from blood loss. Sniffing her blood in the air, Haku felt his own blood race in response, but ignored the sensation.

"This isn't exactly something you can treat, Haku," Chihiro said as she sat more upright, "It's something natural for human women to experience." As she gently rubbed a hand gently over her abdomen, Haku recalled images of pregnant human women doing a similar motion while visiting the banks of his river in the past. Feeling a deep sense of broodiness, Haku put his hand gently over her hand resting on the flat plane of her stomach. He could easily imagine her stomach plump and protruding with a child…their child. Pushing his magic through her, he found the source of her bleeding. Why was her body making itself unfertile? Weren't only elderly humans unable to reproduce? Knitting the tissue back together magically, Haku smiled at her.

"There should be no more bleeding now, but you should rest awhile. I will see to getting a hot meal brought up for you." Chihiro's face blanched instantly at his response. If water trying to drown her wasn't shocking enough, what did he mean her period wouldn't be happening? There was no chance she was pregnant and it was obviously her body's time.

"What do you mean there won't be any bleeding?" Looking fairly proud of himself, Haku smiled at her and helped her to her feet.

"I fixed it."

"That's not something that needed fixing! It's completely natural," Chihiro said feel violated. She didn't enjoy her period much, but wasn't this some sort of insult to take it away? A small voice in the back of her head was screaming at her to shut up and enjoy the lack of cramps and smelly bloody. She wouldn't be around magic all of the time and it was better to enjoy the comforts of it now. Instead she focused on how there were so many other spirits that could have benefited from the magic he just wasted to relieve her of her monthly duty.

"Your bleeding would have inconvenienced the entire bathhouse. You would have to be kept in here for your own safety and I would not have been able to leave your side until it was over. Surely you must understand why this is for the better good," he asked her with a confused expression. She seemed truly upset, but he couldn't see why. Perhaps he should have fixed the fluxing hormones in her bloodstream while he was working on it. Grumbling about how he was wasting magic and that being stuck with him for a few days wouldn't have been so bad, Chihiro stalked out of the bathroom towards her room to get clothes on. Watching the sway of her rear as she left, Haku gave a confused smirk before shaking his head.

"Don't think about going anywhere dragon! I want answers. Just give me a second to get clothes on," she yelled over her shoulder before slamming the door to her room shut.

"However you'd like it, my lady," Haku called after her. Walking back into the living room he fixed himself a cup of tea before sitting down at the table. Writing a quick note down to the kitchen to have two bowls of soup brought up, he sent it off with a flick of his wrist as she entered the room. Trying to hide the red stain upon her cheeks, Chihiro sat down primly and began brushing out her hair. Noting the presence of her pajamas Haku figured they wouldn't be having a lesson this evening, which worked out just fine with him. Tonight he was going to start leaving small red herrings before he placed the first milestone clue anyways.

"So would you care to explain why I was just attacked by a wall of water in your bathroom, Haku?" She kept her eyes glued to the table and her hands were quickly working through the tangles of her wet hair. He put up a silence barrier around the room and tried to act nonchalant before speaking.

"I warned you to not disturb that bathtub. You opened it anyways and got the attention of the water beneath." Chihiro caught herself before sarcastically asking why water would randomly come up a drain to get her. It sounded like a bad joke from a cheap horror film and really the answer was simple, magic.

"So why was the water going to drown me for opening up the bathtub lid?"

"It was not going to drown you. It was just excited."

"Excited," Chihiro mocked with a brow raised.

"Yes, excited. My water was happy to see you. However it became panicked when it smelled blood and rushed forward to heal you. I'm sorry that it scared you." Noticing his choice of words, something that Yui had said the other day clicked in her mind.

"Wait a second. Was that YOUR water? As in your essence?" It was now Haku's turn to raise a brow and wonder who had been giving her such information. Knowing the location of a water spirit's essence was powerful and dangerous knowledge.

"Yes, in a way. The water is indeed the majority of my essence since it is the river water I was designed to control. It's hard to explain… When my river was being filled in in the human world, I was forced to transfer my essence into the spirit world so that I could remain whole. Despite being successful, the efforts of the move left me in dire straits with no memory and minimal magic. It was easy for Yubaba to take advantage of the situation... After I recovered my memory and took over partial ownership of the bathhouse, I did some major renovations. Amidst all of the chaos of construction, I built a small underground cavern beneath the bathhouse and moved my essence into it. Since I was naturally born to be a river spirit, my essence takes the form of water and it has indeed formed an underground river that winds around the bathhouse and beyond. The bathtub you disturbed is one of the few entrances to the cavern where my river is. You must never tell anyone of that bathtub or where it leads to. My very life depends on it." A knock on the door interrupted him. Pulling off the silence barrier, Haku called for the person to enter. One of the kitchen maids scurried in with two bowls of soup and rice. Setting the platters before them with a bow, she hurried away as Haku and Chihiro thanked her. Returning the silence barrier around the room, he said the proper thanks for his meal and dug in. Chihiro watched him eating and felt a deep sense of responsibility fall over her. Picking at her rice, she considered her options.

"I will not disturb your water again. I'm sorry for the bother."

"You are never a bother. Truly you keep me on my toes. I never know what to expect with you," Haku said with a small smile. Returning his smile, she enjoyed more of the food.

"Just out of curiosity, is that where you disappeared to the other night?"

"Yes, I actually find it much more comfortable to be closer to my river when I sleep than up here." The mental image of Haku removing the grate and squeezing down the drain brought laughter to her lips, but she silenced it with a modest cough.

"Is it beautiful down there," Chihiro asked as she honestly tried to imagine an underground river.

"I would say so. Perhaps one of these days I will bring you down and show you around. There is a gorgeous set of waterfalls and natural hot springs not that far of a hike from here." The distant happy expression on Chihiro's face as she tried to imagine the caverns that lie below wiped the smile right off Haku's face. It was so similar to her expression in his dreams that he was frozen still with fear. While his water was sure to protect her at all costs, he and it were one of the same, it could also be deadly if he was distracted. Not wanting her to go explore it on her own or let his water have the opportunity to simply kidnap her when he wasn't close enough to rein it in, Haku decided to give her a warning. "Promise me Chihiro that you will never go near my water unless I am around. It is indeed part of me, but sometimes it reacts on the baser instincts of my being."

"Not a problem. Trust me, Haku. You won't see me sliding down a pipe anytime soon," she replied with a laugh.


	18. Chapter 17

Sorry about the awkwardness of last chapter; I will go back and edit these rougher moments/ add more characterization stuff after I finish this arc. Chapter 17 ended up being super long so I cut it into 3/4 and 1/4. The later 1/4 will make the beginning of chapter 18. Fun fact for you: I did not originally plan on more than 2 dates when I originally laid out this arc and have now had to adjust it for three with this date's addition. As much as I hate to admit it, these next few chapters are going to be rough, but I promise that I will come back and edit all of this before I start arc 2.

As always, thanks for your ongoing support and patience. Next update will be on June 20.

 **Chapter 17:**

Chihiro was sorting supplies in the pantry two days after the water incident when she found the first red herring from Haku. A small circular stone smoothed down to a perfect egg shape sat in the bottom of the box she had been pulling supplies from. Looking it over, she was disappointed to find no writing on it, but somehow she instantly knew that he had left it for her. Slipping it into her uniform pocket she continued to work. By the end of the fourth day, she had found nearly a dozen stones of the same size and shape of varying colors, but none of them had writing. She lined them up along her window sill at the end of each night and wondered when she would find the stone marking her first milestone. Two of them rattled around in her pocket alongside a note from Haku as she made her way down to the infirmary the evening of the fourth day. The note had been a warm reminder that they were going to go out together to explore the market place the following morning.

The infirmary was oddly silent and it only took a cursory glance to see why. All of the spirits except Hikaru were sleeping. The fox spirit was standing beside a large window looking out over the river below. As he leaned back against the sill, Chihiro could see that he had worked hard to remain standing from the sweat dripping from his brow. His crystal blue eyes flicked over towards her and his distant expression faded into a small smile.

"I am surprised to see you up out of bed. You will be better in no time, Hikaru," Chihiro greeted him warmly.

"Even if my body heals, my memory has still not returned. It will be some time until I can return to where it is I came from."

"You could always find a place around here to stay. Yui has been helping Okita make arrangements for after his release from the infirmary. It seems he will need a week of outpatient therapy before she will sign his release papers back to the military."

"I will stay as long as is necessary. In the meantime, I look forward to planning Okita's graduation from here. I'm sure the nurses will celebrate his departure with great gusto." Chihiro laughed quietly at the thought. After all of the pranks he had pulled on everyone here, most of the staff would be celebrating his move.

"When were you thinking of having the party? I could ditch self-defense lessons for one night to attend if you give me a heads up."

"As soon as Yui gives him his two day notice, everything will go into motion. It shouldn't be too long now. She might kick him out early after that trick he pulled with the plaster the other night." Nodding her head in agreement, they fell into a comfortable silence. Looking out the window at the weak sun, she smiled. It was indeed a beautiful night. Hikaru looked back at her and noticed her distraction with the view. Bringing up a new subject, he spoke his mind.

"I can tell that you have been working hard at your lessons. How has the summoning ritual been progressing?"

"I have most of the stances and movements down, but Yui says my rhythm is off. Without music I can't imagine what sort of beat I will have to adjust to."

"My guess would be the traditional beat of taiko drums, but show me the dance and I'll see if I can figure it out." Hikaru settled himself back onto his bed and watched as Chihiro took a big breath. Fixing her posture, she let her body release its tension and began to move. As she continued, she could hear the faint tapping of Hikaru's claws against his bed post tapping out a steady rhythm. Trying to match the beat he gave her, Chihiro felt some of the dance come together.

"You are focusing too much on correcting each movement you make. This is a water festival is it not? Focus on moving like water. Try it again and listen to the beat I'm giving you." Hikaru quietly tapped out a steady beat and Chihiro began again. She matched her movements with her breathing and found that it felt more relaxed and natural.

"Much better," he complimented as she began to close out the dance. Standing tall she felt her attention drawn back to the sunlight as she finished. For the first time, the dance had felt right to her and her mind had become as empty as the cloudless sky above. "If you practice with that kind of grace and precision, there's no doubt that the dragon will respond to your call."

"I wish you could be there when I'm actually at practice. Watari-san would probably be a whole lot less frustrated with me if she actually saw improvements."

"I'm sure she sees more in you than she lets on. It is easier to provide criticism and watch you grow than to let you become complacent with mediocrity. She expects great things of you, all of us do." Turning her smile to him, Chihiro gave a nod in understanding and felt her body begin to go through the movements again. Tapping his claws quietly against the bed post, Hikaru kept rhythm and watched her dance in the sunlight.

Chihiro slung the pouch that Lin had given her over her shoulder as she followed Haku out of the side entrance of the bathhouse. Looking back to make sure no one was following them, she smiled wide at their successful escape. Haku's smile mimicked her own as he led her through the bustling town. Both of them were dressed down to blend into the market and Chihiro was certain she had on enough magical temporary protection spells to survive a nuclear blast. Approaching the end of the town, she sighed as she saw the ferry departing for the other side of the river already.

"Looks like we missed the first ferry over. Guess we have to wait for the next one," Chihiro commented with a frown. Smirking at her, Haku walked to the water's edge. The river water was kicking up in dark waves that reflected fragments of the sliver of moon overhead.

"Why don't we just walk over then," he asked as he stepped out onto the water. As if he was walking on firm ground, the water seemed to flatten out surrounding his shoes and the waves moved around without touching him. Chihiro's eyes grew wide as she slowly walked towards him.

"Are you serious," Chihiro questioned rhetorically. Staring at his feet, she contemplated the murky water and its tame behavior beneath him. "Shouldn't you be saving your magic in case there is an emergency?"

"I'm sure my magic can handle a little wear and tear for a few hours. Let me spoil you for tonight," Haku said smoothly as he offered his hand out to her. Nodding her head in acceptance after a moment's hesitation, Chihiro grasped his hand and stepped out beside him. The water held her up as well and he gently pulled her forward. Holding onto his hand for dear life, she looked down at the fish and creatures swimming below the water's murky surface. One false move and she could be swimming with them in an instant. Trying to not to blush as she clutched his arm closer, Haku smiled at her amazement and fear.

"You won't fall in as long as I focus, Chihiro. Even if you don't hold onto me." Part of him regretted saying anything at all about their proximity, but he was losing circulation to his arm. Then again, how often could he get her to touch him so intimately? Her fear at going into the river was palpable.

"Really? You promise you won't let me fall," she asked without looking up from the water beneath them. They were a good solid halfway across the river now.

"I promise," Haku replied with a smirk. Tentatively, Chihiro released his hand and took a shaky step forward alone. Watching her carefully, Haku had to keep from laughing as he saw her high step forward as if worried that the waves would catch her legs. Unable to hide his laughter, a snort and chuckle rumbled from his chest. Turning a light glare towards him, Chihiro moved to playfully hit his arm for laughing at her. Dodging out of the way and teasing her, he set off at a slow (for him at least) jog as Chihiro made chase. The water barely formed beneath the balls of her feet as she ran and the waves turned to wet air around her legs. The adrenaline of the magic beneath her swelled through her and she joined his laughter with her own. Haku made it to shore and smirked as she neared him. Calling out his surrender, she smiled victoriously as she caught him and tried to catch her breath. The market buzzed in excitement nearby and many spirits were walking to and fro. Moving towards the market, Chihiro was ready to start the adventure. Haku grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly in his own.

"You caught me, now don't let go," he said with a large smile. Allowing him to keep her hand, she blushed a deep red. Holding hands they went into the market. The day passed quickly as they tried different food stalls and wandered past the odd vendors throughout. Chihiro swore that she had never laughed so much in her life. It was as if Haku had a witty comment or funny story about everything there. Her cheeks were sore from all of its efforts. As they neared the owl spirit that Chihiro remembered visiting with Lin, she guided Haku over to the stand. The stall smelled strongly of old leather from the stacks of books lying about and it only took a few moments for the pair of them to become enveloped in the aisles. Spying the hair sticks that she remembered, Chihiro asked Haku the question that had been lurking at the back of her mind since the last time that she had visited the stall.

"Haku, if I buy something of this world is it possible for me to bring it back to the human world?"

"Yeah, it's possible. Food always rots if you try to bring that through the portal, but everything else goes through fine. How else do you think relics are made? Human relics consist of objects embedded with spiritual magic that were brought over to the human world, just like how our relics are created from empowered human objects passing through the barrier into our world. If you are interested in bringing back some books, I would unfortunately have to advise against it. The Capital has a strict policy about the transfer of living creatures or information."

"I'd like to read some of these books some time, but that's not what I'm interested in." Chihiro eyed the pair of antique silver dragon hair sticks on display in their old box. Walking over, she released her hair from its pony tail and adjusted the mirror on the table to her height. Picking up the box, she held it out to Haku, "Could you possibly put my hair up with these?"

Smiling broadly, Haku picked up the hair sticks and felt his magic swiftly being called into the objects in question. Examining them closely, understanding swept through him as he recognized the moonstone gemstones that the dragons held. Haku knew immediately from the residual magic on the stones that the spirit who had created the hair sticks had been an immensely powerful water spirit that had died recently. As a result, the stones were gathering water magic and seeking a new owner to serve. It would be easy to fill the stones with his magic and manipulate it into serving Chihiro. Running his fingers through her hair, Haku carefully wound her tresses into a fashionable spiral and put the hair sticks in place. Bending over her shoulder to see her reflection in the mirror, Haku admired how beautiful she looked. The dragon in him was puffing up with pride that she would choose something to wear that would resemble his natural form so closely and that he could adjust the magic within it to mark her as his own. "You look beautiful," he whispered gently into her ear and watched a tremble go down her spine followed by a heated blush.

"They look better than I thought they would." Gently taking them out of her hair and looking them over scrupulously, Chihiro admired the fine details in their design before returning them to the box. She closed the lid and began walking to the cash register as Haku followed quickly behind. Handing the box to the owl, she began pulling out her money, but was stopped by Haku.

"These will be my gift to you as thanks for covering for Yui in the upcoming water festival," he said as he handed the owl a gold coin from his pocket. The owl spirit's eyes grew at the coin, but quickly recovered as he made out change.

"Haku, they are much too expensive for a simple gift." He stopped himself from scoffing at her remark. If she could see the ledgers he spent most of his time balancing, she would realize that money would never be an issue at the bathhouse. The staff was well kept and there was enough money put away to ensure a reliable future no matter the turn in times. Dragons were known for protecting their treasures and though he and the bathhouse were wealthy, what he valued most was not money, but people. His staff and Chihiro were his greatest treasures.

"Nonsense. It would be a great honor to me if you would wear these at the cleansing ceremony and as often as your heart desires." Chihiro opened her mouth to refute, but the firm tenderness in his eyes stopped her. Her heart skipped a beat as he smiled down at her with such warmth and affection that the sun would surely be envious. Taking the box back from the owl spirit, Haku reclaimed her small hand in his own and guided her out of the stall. Stopping in the open street, he pulled out the hair sticks and tucked the box away back in his pocket. "If you don't mind, may I put them back in your hair?"

Nodding her head yes, Chihiro felt more than watched as Haku moved behind her and put her hair back up into place. The feeling of his long slender fingers weaving through her hair and tracing around the back of her neck made speaking impossible for the moment. He lingered there, fixing each hair into place and gently weaving a beautiful design. Chihiro felt cherished and more importantly, her heart was racing out of her chest. The way he continued to whisper how beautiful she was quietly under his breath by her ear as if she couldn't hear him made it all the more difficult to breathe. For the first time, Chihiro Ogino realized that Haku may have feelings for her that ran deeper than the friendship he claimed and if her heart was any indication, she felt the same way. The softness of his voice rang out around her, but the words didn't register in her mind. It wasn't until he moved in front of her again and retracted his touch did she realize he had actually been talking.

"Sorry could you repeat that," she asked with a nervous smile as she brushed back an invisible loose hair behind her ear.

"I asked if you were ready for dinner yet. There is this wonderful soba shop overlooking the river that I would love to take you to." Nodding her head quickly, Chihiro smiled up at him. Haku gently took her hand up again and they walked together forward.

The small soba shop had one of the best views of the bathhouse and river that Chihiro had seen thus far, not to mention delicious food. Laughing over her mug of beer, she wondered how she had not noticed it before. She had lost count of how many she had had, but surely it shouldn't have taken getting tipsy to understand his interest in her? The way his eyes lit up when he smiled at her like that…The way his hand gently brushed hers at every opportunity…all of it was keeping her on fire. Thinking back to the first time they went out together, she felt like shaking her head in embarrassment. She had thought he was only viewing her as a friend, but right now the same said friend was throwing glances at her lips as if on the pinnacle of a decision. Sipping the last of the cold alcoholic beverage, Chihiro's head turned to stare at the clock tower as it loudly rang out the late hour. Soon it would be time to go home and their day together would come to an end. Haku followed her eyes to look up at the clock tower. Today had been going so well and if she would let him, he had just the idea of how to finish it.

"Do you trust me, Chihiro," Haku asked honestly. Her eyes flicked over to him and she replied yes as her smile held its size and brilliance. Slipping a coin into the check to pay for the meal, he grabbed her hand and began to leading her to the clock tower.

"Where are we going, Haku?"

"It's a surprise." The clock tower loomed ever closer and Chihiro could see what appeared to be a guard change of eel spirits at the entrance below. As they approached the guards, Haku's demeanor changed. His back straightened, his chest puffed out and his expression hardened into seriousness. Walking with every bit of confidence that the master of a bathhouse would be expected to have, he approached them. Noticing their approach, the eels became visibly uncomfortable and some even fled quickly. Giving them a brief nod of his highly held head, Haku brushed past them and opened the door for Chihiro to enter. Take the stairs up together she wondered why he was acting like that. Her confused expression gave it away and Haku turned a smile towards her.

"The clock tower watchmen are wily slackers, but they are difficult to kill. Makes for good guards against the Tainted when they actually do their jobs… It's too bad that they are susceptible to displays of power and distraction. A little bluff that we are supposed to be here can go a long way." Opening the door at the top of the stairs, a group of eels paused in conversation as they leaned back from their places surrounding a table covered in maps and documents. The round room was covered with bowls of water with images of the town floating within them and there were several spirits watching said bowls.

"We are passing through. Continue on." Guiding her around the pointed stares, Haku slipped them out the opposite door and closed it behind them. The inner mechanics of the clock tower clicked away and the bell hanging above their heads stood silent waiting for the next half an hour marker. Twisting through the narrow passes between the machinery, they finally reached a platform wide enough for the two of them to stand across from each other.

"I'd like to bring you up to the roof. Will you allow me to hold you to do so?" Chihiro considered her fear of heights and the handsome man staring back at her. He held out his free hand and she hesitantly took it with acceptance. She was scared, but she trusted that Haku would do well by her. Taking both her hands, Haku squeezed them gently before pulling her tight against his chest. Ignoring the feeling of her breasts against him and the cute way she puckered her nose when she closed her eyes in concentration, he secured her a little tighter and flew them upwards. Dodging the swinging clock bits, he found the platform he had been looking for. Landing steadily on the platform, he released his hold on her. Brown eyes fluttered open to stare at him, but were quickly distracted by the view. A bleeding morning sun was beginning to rise, marking the end of a spirit's day and the beginning of human's morning. The curdling red color was brilliant against the dying night sky and cast the entire town in hues of orange and yellow. From their high perch, they could see all of the town below and the shifting of magic as the river retracted to grass and spirits were disappearing to their evening sleep. Trying to ignore the sharp drop downward a step away from their rickety wooden platform, Chihiro admired the transformation of lively spirit town to empty ruins. Last puffs of steam fizzled out of the bathhouse and she smiled at the thought of her coworkers heading to bed. Kamaji would be unfolding his blanket, Lin would be braiding her long hair before bed, even somewhere in the shrine Yui was probably preparing for the night's comforts. And here she was standing beside Haku watching the sun rise. It was all so beautiful and felt so right.

Haku watched as Chihiro took it all in and tried to engrain this moment into his memory. The way she had blushed and held his hand all day as they rambled through the shops of the Old Market compared nothing to how she stood awestruck and jaw gaped at a sight he had seen hundreds of times in passing. He couldn't look away from her and even when he did manage to peel his eyes away to look over the town, he couldn't help but feel that he was seeing it through new eyes- her eyes. Her human eyes that couldn't see nearly as well as his eyes saw more in this moment than he ever had seen from his endless flights overhead. Haku's eyes were drawn to the gentle smile that she wore as her mouth closed the small o it had formed in surprise earlier. She was so beautiful standing there in the sunlight, just as he thought she would be. Drawing closer to her, he considered how badly he wanted to kiss her. He could gently turn her head and press his lips to her soft puckered lips. He didn't have to confess or try to find words to decipher the depth of his complicated feelings for her. Keeping her at arm's reach under protection would keep her safe, but he longed to be closer to her and show her how much he still loved her. Haku wanted her to love him back and give him her heart. He had loved her the day she fell into his river, he had loved her the day she left the bathhouse, and he continued to love her still this very moment. Haku would bet his entire fortune, the bathhouse, and his life that he would love her for the rest of his long life. If she would only say the words he longed to hear…

"This is breathtaking Haku," she whispered in awe as the world was finally swept in golden rays of sunlight. He wanted to tell her how every day she was away from him was like an eternal night of solitude and that when she was there beside him, the world was a better place. He wanted to sweep her off her feet and embrace her like there was no tomorrow. He wanted to lay the world down at her feet and listen to her laughter bubbling forth like fresh rain water over smooth stone, but instead he just smiled at her. Whether it was the alcohol in his system dulling his mind or the dragon within begging for action, Haku watched himself lift a hand to boldly stroke her cheek. Turning to face him and lean into his hand slightly, Chihiro looked up at him curiously. Staring into his green eyes, she felt herself blush profusely and started to turn away. His hand gently turned her back to him and without a moment's hesitation, Haku kissed her gently upon the lips.


	19. Chapter 18

So before you all start sharpening your pitchforks to hunt me down, please know that I am not doing this to add another twist or prolong this or any nonsense like that. It is an important part of the story line that will be explained during the climax of the arc. Though you may grumble and be mad at me now, I promise you that it will all make sense in a rapid order fashion later on. Also if you are mad now, wait until you see what I got planned for the end of the arc... (starts barricading the house in preparation for the desperate hordes).

I may or may not have destroyed my computer hinge and the wire keeping it alive is frayed. I ordered a new laptop, but should I fall off the face of the internet and miss the next update it is not because I have forsaken you readers for in person company. Next update will be on July 6th since I have to fly home for my best friend's wedding and visit the crazy family again before I leave the country for medical school. It will be my first wedding ever, and though I have never written a wedding scene (since when I'm reading that's usually the part where I tune out and skim ahead to the more *cough cough* questionable sections), I hope that the experience will give me some ideas should I consider writing an epilogue.

Thanks for your continued reviews and support. They always make my day and give me the kick in the ass I need to sit down and write. You guys are the best.

 **Chapter 18:**

Waking up slightly later than normal the next morning, Chihiro laid in bed with a hand over her lips. The memory of the feather light kiss burned in her memory despite the slight haze of alcohol that clouded it. His kiss had stopped her heart, or so it had felt, and the sparks that sprung forth in her chest were on the verge of painful. He had barely given her a chance to respond before pulling away from her with a hand over his heart. No words fell from her mouth as she looked up at him in surprise and applied pressure to the area where her heart had rapidly resumed fluttering. He mirrored her expression as if the electricity from her heart had stung him as well. As he stepped even further away from her, the magic that seemed to hold them dissipated. Muttering a quick apology, Haku had become instantly distant and awkward as he avoided looking at her. The look of regret that marred his handsome features weighed her tongue down and she wondered what had just passed between them. Why had he stopped? It seemed like only an instant later and they were back in the flat. With a quick bow, Haku abandoned her for the night, leaving her to reel in the confusing aftermath. What had gone wrong? Why had he stopped? Berating herself for letting the strange sensation distract her from the opportunity to explore their seemingly mutual feelings, Chihiro got up to face the day. The hair pins that he had given her were settled neatly in their box on the nightstand shining in the moonlight. Closing the box quickly with a smile, she slipped it into the secret hatch in her wardrobe with her human clothes and got dressed. When she opened the door, she was pleased to see a large bouquet of red roses waiting for her with a small note. Only a single word was written upon the note and its meaning quickly reversed her smile.

Chihiro was hanging up wet sheets to dry in the open third breezeway with Lin in the late afternoon when she found a pure white stone with black writing. Reading the message silently, she slipped it into her uniform pocket with a smile and grabbed another wet sheet to hang. It was the third stone she had found today, but it was finally the one she had been waiting for. Chihiro had explained her deal with Haku to Lin shortly after finding the first stone, but that didn't stop the weasel spirit from rolling her eyes. Giving her an annoyed glance, Lin hung up the sheet in her hands.

"I swear it's like he's trying to court you. Except dragons are known for giving powerful gifts to their mates during courtship and he's giving you these worthless little pebbles. It's like this is all some big joke to him," Lin muttered. At the word courtship, Chihiro blushed a deep red that caught Lin's attention.

"Has he given you anything else of worthwhile?"

"Well…," Chihiro started and was bombarded by a wet sheet to the face.

"Out with it woman or you'll be scrubbing the big tubs for the rest of the night," Lin threated as Chihiro dragged the sheet off of her face. Hanging it up, she shot a sly smirk towards the weasel.

"He might have gotten me those hair sticks that we saw at the market when we were on a date yesterday." Lin froze mid hang to stare at her. How had she not mentioned that? Instantly ruffled in outrage, Lin launched another few wet sheets at Chihiro, who caught them with a small smirk and a whole lot of grace.

"I'm your best friend and you didn't even tell me you were going on a date!? Spill this instant! I want all of the details." Chihiro rehashed the previous day in painstaking detail as Lin listened enraptured. Confident that her plan had made progress, but weary that Haku had backed away after initiating the kiss, Lin was left with more questions than answers. After picking over every little detail of the date, they launched into a discussion about what the kiss could have meant. Surely the kiss meant he liked her as more than friends, but if so then why did he pull away like that? Lin advised her to hunt down the hiding dragon and confront him, but Chihiro felt skittish about being so forward. Deciding that she needed to see the hair sticks again, Lin asked Chihiro to show her. When she admitted to having packed them away for safe keeping, Lin threw another wet sheet at her in exasperation. If the master of the bathhouse was struggling with his feelings, then by all means she should be wearing his gift loud and proud to assure him that she felt the same. Shoving her out of the breezeway and into the next elevator upwards, they ascended to the empty flat. Chihiro opened the door to her room and swept inside towards the wardrobe as Lin stood awestruck in the doorway. The room was full of fresh flowers in colorful vases and a neat row of colorful stones rested on the window sill.

"And you never thought to mention he was giving you flowers," Lin said as she tried to keep the frustration out of her voice.

"He said it was to keep nightmares away," Chihiro replied back with a shrug. Hearing his words from her lips made her realize how ridiculous that sounded, but she somewhat accepted it. Chihiro popped open the hatch and fetched out the box.

"Of course he said it was to keep nightmares away. He's just as vague and dim witted as you are. I swear you two are meant to be together," Lin mocked with an eye roll. How much of a dope did Chihiro have to be to not see what was right in front of her? Taking the box from her hands, Lin opened it up to take a closer look at the hair sticks. They looked like the same expensive trinkets as she remembered from last time, but now there was a small pulse from them that she could feel from where her fingers grasped the case. Wondering what sort of magic the dragon might have put on them, Lin hovered her hand over the sticks.

"I should have known these stones were moonstone. Moonstone is commonly used by water spirits since the gemstone takes their water magic so well. If it is set in jewelry as these are, I would bet these stones have been charmed for protection and clarity of the mind." Lin closed the box and handed it back to her.

"So you're saying Haku might have done something to these to protect me? He only touched them for a few moments while putting them into my hair," Chihiro trailed off as she thought about their date. The hair sticks hadn't really been out of her sight except while she was sleeping. When did he have time to do magic over them?

"With as much magic as that man has, he probably did it the moment he picked them up. Let me guess, you wore them most of the date last night?" Chihiro nodded her head yes and she put the box back away in the wardrobe. She could almost see Lin sigh in annoyance at the sight of her putting the hair sticks away. As she had explained to Lin earlier, if she was going to be mucking around doing chores about the bathhouse, there was no need to risk dirtying the beautiful hair sticks. Lin thought otherwise, but there were bigger fish to fry…like the missing dragon. "He probably swamped the stones with his magic when he was putting the hair sticks into your hair the second time. Congratulations Chihiro, you are officially the fancy of the most powerful dragon in the Eastern Wetlands. You best figure out what exactly you two are before the festival because you can bet your weight in gold that he will have prospective brides arriving to try and win his hand."

"Prospective brides," Chihiro choked out with a dumbfounded expression. Lin rolled her eyes and began to walk out of the flat towards the elevator. Chihiro hurried after her, shutting the doors as she went. Sometimes Lin really wanted to throttle some sense into both of these idiots. As much as she loved them, they were making her life difficult.

"Yes, prospective brides. Spirits for hundreds of miles around are going to be traveling here for the festival and you can bet that some of them are going to be marriage seekers hoping to tie down the master of the bathhouse. Didn't Yui tell you that? You will be doing that dance of yours on a small boat in the center of the river with hundreds, if not thousands of spirits looking on from the water and land." Chihiro felt her gut drop at the thought of being at the center of attention of so many people. As they stepped into the elevator to go down together, Lin gave a pitiful smirk towards Chihiro.

"It seems like an awful lot of responsibility…"

"Don't sweat it, kid. Just take each step one at a time and you will be fine. The crowds will be nothing once you begin. All you will see is him."

"What if he doesn't answer my call?"

"Trust me, Haku will not let you fail in this matter. Your main concern for now should be learning the dance and demanding some answers from him when he does decide to show his face around here."

Chihiro arrived on time for their usual nightly session and found her teacher missing. Was he really going to bail out, she wondered darkly as she gazed at the fire in the office. She hadn't seen him around the bathhouse all day. Maybe the kiss had been a mistake of their mutual intoxication… The sound of claws on wood sounded from the living room and Chihiro walked in to find Haku in his dragon form. Cocking his large head to the side, his green eyes rolled with a grumble and he shifted into his human form. Greeting him, she was surprised when he brushed past her with averted eyes and awkward blush. He went straight into the office to begin changing it over for their lesson. Tossing her into extended warmups with a passion, Haku didn't give her the opportunity to bring up the events of the night before. When he finally called off warmups, she was bent over grasping her knees as her weak body gasped for air.

"Today we are moving onto new material that unfortunately requires some hands-on demonstrations. We will be covering the basics of ground fighting and grappling." Teaching her the basic falls and the basic holds for grappling, Haku was surprised how quickly she could pick up new techniques from him. Chihiro was an excellent student even when he was trying to rush through the lesson to get away from her. He needed more time to think over what he had done and what he was going to do from here. Every time he thought about their kiss, his brain seemed to stop as it lost itself in the details of the moment. The kiss confirmed his worst suspicions and even though he craved more of her, he needed to keep his feelings under control. Haku was not ready to handle the consequences of his actions.

Chihiro let him go over the new material again as their time began to come to a close. Deciding it was now or never, she found the courage to start the conversation that needed to happen. Unrequited love was something she was familiar with, but if this was her one shot at having her feelings returned then she was going to go for it. Worst case scenario, she could stay with Lin in her room and keep her distance from him until Zeniba returned with an answer.

"We should talk about last night," Chihiro said as she executed the fall properly. Standing up, he gave her a slight push on the shoulders and she performed the fall again.

"I had too much to drink. I'm sorry if the flower apology was unacceptable for my mistake-"

"What if I don't want it to be a mistake?" Haku froze for a moment for a moment as a blush spread across his cheeks. Regaining his composure quickly, he looked down at her challengingly. Mounting her in the first grappling position they covered, she countered his slow motion attack.

"Then I'd tell you that you don't know what you are asking for." Chihiro smirked at him and dislodged his hold over her. Pinning him beneath her, she smiled softly and lowered her eyes to his lips.

"I'm asking for you," she pouted, "Are you trying to tell me that you feel nothing for me?" Inside she was burning in embarrassment at her boldness, but she had to give this a solid chance before she accepted defeat.

"We both know that is not the case," Haku said with a sigh as he lay beneath her calmly. He wanted to be honest with her, but the possibilities of what could happen weighed heavily on his mind. "Chihiro, it's complicated."

"Then why don't we simplify the equation," she whispered letting her body fall gently against his. Biting her lip, Chihiro considered going in for a kiss and sealing her fate. Either he was going to accept her or he was going to turn her away. She needed an answer. Focusing in on her tortured lip, Haku felt himself waver between what was right and what he truly wanted. Flipping her over onto her back and pinning her easily, Haku felt a growl come loose as he kissed her with all of the passion in his heart.

Chihiro opened her mouth and responded to his kiss as she felt the same electricity charge through her chest. As he continued to kiss her, the spark seemed to burn into something painful and her heart seemed to freeze mid beat. Pushing against his grasp on her hands, she felt a surge of panic race through her at the simultaneous pleasure and pain coursing through her. It was a loud cracking sound from her chest that finally tore Haku's lips from hers. Looking thoroughly ravished, Chihiro's hair was free from its ponytail and her lips swollen red. Haku was tempted to lean back down and kiss her again, but the damage he had caused already brought him to a standstill. Slyly using magic, he fixed what he had broken.

"What was-"

"That's the reason we can't do this again. Relationships between spirits and humans are complicated." Standing up and walking a few steps away from her, he wiped his mouth on his sleeve and stared at her with hungry, pleading eyes. "I like you Chihiro, but I can't be with you like this. I'm a spirit. It's best if you remember that from now on."

Turning away from her as he felt the weight of his words rock the world, Haku walked from the room and transformed before flying away. Sitting on the floor for a few moments longer than necessary, Chihiro tried to stop the pain in her chest. She couldn't tell if it was from the kiss or her aching heart anymore. Pushing herself up, she moved mechanically towards the elevator and went to Lin's room. One look at her told the weasel that something had not gone right. Ushering her into the room and sitting her down on the bed, Lin sat cross-legged across from Chihiro impatiently waiting for her to speak.

"Are you going to tell me what happened or just sit there all night," Lin frowned at her and the splatter of rain falling filled the room. A rain storm seemed to be fast at work outside the window.

"He feels the same about me, but it's… complicated. We can't be together in a lot of ways and that's why he won't accept me. It hurts here when he kisses me," Chihiro said pointing to her heart.

"It's supposed to hurt there silly. It is just your heart wanting him," Lin half-heartedly reassured her.

"No, you don't understand. It's happened last time we kissed too. It felt like an electrical shock stopping my heart, but this time when he held the kiss it became painful. I heard a crack in my chest and I thought for a second that something had broken. Seems to be fine now," she said gently palpating the ribs near her heart.

"That's not normal," Lin said dropping her eyes as she considered what might have happened, "There should have been no pain from both of you kissing…" Lin trailed off as her mind raced to the only solution it could. There should have been no pain between them unless Haku was using magic to cause it. Could he have been using his powers to push her away and give her a false reason why they couldn't be together so that he would not completely crush her feelings? Her brows knit together in concentration as Lin tilted between anger and confusion. She couldn't tell Chihiro that, not in her current vulnerable state. Lin wanted to hunt down the dragon and give him a piece of her mind, but the sight of the lonely confused girl in front of her took priority.

"Don't think about it anymore tonight. You aren't gonna get anywhere with it in the sorry state you're in anyways. Leave tomorrow's problems for tomorrow." Standing up, Lin dragged the girl to follow her.

"Where are we going?"

"To the End of the Line. Taka owes me a few drinks and I sure as hell ain't drinkin' alone." Smiling softly at Lin's back as she tagged along, Chihiro let out the sigh she had been holding in. It wouldn't be her first or her last attempted romance in her lifetime, but she seemed so close this time...

Heavy gray skies hung over the town as it began to awaken and Chihiro made her way to the shrine. She wasn't sure if they were going to have practice, but she saw no harm in going to check. It had rained heavily through the night, but the weather seemed like it was going to clear up for the day. Cleansing herself and paying her respects as usual at the shrine, Chihiro went in the side entrance. Calling out for Yui, she went to their practice room only to find it cold and empty. It felt like the life of the building had been sucked away. The shrine had never felt like an abandoned building before, and it made her confident that the crane spirit was not there. Deciding to wait a few minutes to see if she would show, Chihiro started off by taking a closer look at the well that the bell stood over. The water in the well looked murky and turbulent, seeming to clatter noisily against the mossy stones encaging it. The sound of a window clattering in a loose frame caught her attention and she started searching for the window. If a window was not closed properly in its frame, there was a chance rain water could enter the room and damage the tatami that covered most of the shrine floor. Deciding to hunt for the window and latch it properly, Chihiro began exploring the rooms. The majority of the doors on the hallway opened to rooms that resembled the practice room with their tatami floors, painted screen walls, and empty layouts. It wasn't until she reached the second to last door that she found something of interest. Sliding open the door, Chihiro found what appeared to be some sort of record room stacked to the brim with dusty shelves of boxes and scrolls. The smell of old paper and tea surrounded her and she stepped inside with a sense of nostalgia. In many ways the room reminded her of the old library by her house, though granted she didn't think it carried documents nearly as old as these. The sound of a rattling window sounded from the darkness.

Walking between the narrow shelves towards a dim light coming from a grimy window, Chihiro brushed against the boxes on either side. One of the boxes tumbled from its perch onto the floor in front of the window. Clearing her throat of the dust that had come from the impact, she properly secured the latches on the window so that it no longer rattled. She then righted the box and kneeled beside it. Reaching for the weathered papers that had scattered around, she noticed the kanji for human written in fading black ink written on several of them. Chihiro wiped her sleeve through the grime on the window to create a small gap for light to come through and took a closer look at the documents. Though the dates and some of the writing had faded out with time, she could still make out the majority of what appeared to be pages from a personal record. Shifting through the pages, she briefly skimmed the content out of curiosity.

 _[_ _The village sacrificed a human woman to call forth rain.-.-.-.-.-The Cove spirit saved the human from drowning and has taken her on as a wife through the mating bond, however the girl refused the gift of spirithood. Even now, she sits at the edge of the reef pining away for her family in the village. The ritual was successful in bringing rain to both lands._ _]_

 _[_ _The human girl has become one of us. Her transformation was forced by the will of her husband and she has not spoken since her awakening. She bleeds constantly from the eyes…-.-.-.-.-.-unsure of what kind of power she holds…-.-.-.-.-.-Shrine is in good condition, but will need better provisions for winter.]_

 _[_ _Today we buried the wife of the Cove spirit and gave her the traditional end-of-life farewell. She committed suicide two nights past while her husband was on the far side of the reef. He has not recovered consciousness yet._ _]_

 _[_ _Cove spirit went to the Ocean of Souls to see if the girl's spirit had returned to her people and if so, to see if the essence he gave her could be reclaimed. She nor his essence were there. It seems that despite her time as a human she died a true spirit death._ _]_

 _[_ _I reached out to the records keeper in the Capital for guidance in regards to the Cove spirit's deteriorating condition. Apparently, suicide amongst converted humans is extremely common and so is the resulting sickness found in the spirit partner.-.-.-.-.-.-Symptoms of the Cove spirit are similar to those commonly found in spirits who have lost their mates and none of the others involved in the conversion ceremony show any symptoms of illness. The records keeper warned that he is mostly to degrade into a Shadow or follow in her footsteps if he cannot learn to live with the emptiness that comes with living without a part of your soul.-.-.-.-.- There are no cases of full recovery. The Capital has put out a notice that no humans shall be considered for conversion until further notice. We lose too many powerful spirits to the blinding powers of love and the inevitability of death._ _]_

 _[_ _With the Cove spirit's death last week and the slow response of the Capital in bringing forth a new elemental essence to take over the water, the cove has fallen into disarray. The fish have left and the reef is dying quickly. The village has sacrificed three human girls for the return of the fish. All were left to drown.-.-.-.-]_

Chihiro startled at the sound of a nearby sliding door slamming shut. The last sheet of paper that she had read fell silently to the floor from her trembling hand. Tossing the papers remaining in her hand back into the box, she quickly slid the box back into place before hurrying towards the door. She had just finished closing the door behind her when Yui rounded the corner looking exhausted beyond compare. Stopping in her tracks at the sight of Chihiro flustered, Yui frowned.

"What are you doing here?"

"I wasn't sure if we were having a lesson today with the rain and all last night, so I thought I'd come take a peek around to see if you were here." It was apparent that Chihiro seemed fairly pale and almost fidgety, but her response had been casual enough. Yui didn't know if it was her overtired mind being sensitive or if there was something truly wrong with the girl. Something didn't ring right with the way she was avoiding eye contact.

"No lesson today. I need to rest. Go back to the bathhouse." Yui walked past her and with a bow, she watched Chihiro hurry towards the exit. As soon as she rounded the corner, Yui walked back and slid open the door to the records room. Peering in, the sight of a single document on the floor beside the window caught her eye. Yui picked up the document and frowned as she read it over. Stuffing the old paper into the less dusty box that it had come from, the frown on her face deepened as she walked off.

 _[_ _The witch of the Eastern bathhouse delivered a human girl that wandered through the portal to us. It appears that her apprentice has a gift for manipulation since he easily convinced her that the only way for her to go home was to conduct the cleansing ritual for us.-.-.-.-.-.- The girl was not careful in her summoning and was naïve of the magic surrounding us. I had always thought it impossible for me to take a life as a priest, but it was surprisingly easy once I smelled her blood. The apprentice had purposefully nicked her hand before she started the ceremony.-.-.-.-.-.-I slit her throat and powered the cleansing with her blood. I don't believe she felt any pain. I could barely feel anything above the euphoria of the magic surrounding us. Yubaba's promise that human sacrifice would give us tenfold results was an understatement.-.-.-.-.-The threat of the Tainted has subsided and the Eastern border is now maintained._ _]_


	20. Chapter 19

Thanks for your feedback and reviews! Next update will probably be before or on **July 13th**. With the end of arc 1 coming up, I am going to be publishing one of the other stories I've been working on. I have posted a poll on my profile to see what you guys would like to read next so **PLEASE GO VOTE**. I will leave the poll up until the current arc in SW is complete. Thanks for your input and see you next time!

PS-Be prepared for some rocky sailing these next few chapters. If I lack the finesse to do the upcoming events justice writing it the first time around, I have faith that I will be able to fix it when I edit everything over before arc 2. Thanks for your patience.

 **Chapter 19:**

Chihiro moved mechanically through the bathhouse as her mind raced. She couldn't even remember how she found Lin or knew that she had been searching for her, until she spotted the weasel amongst the busy hallway. Greeting her warmly, Lin asked if she was skipping practice with Yui today. Without breaking eye contact with the floor, Chihiro asked the question that kept repeating through her head.

"Yeah, Yubaba only ever had one apprentice and that was Haku. Why the question?" Nodding her head solemnly, Chihiro turned on her heel and began to walk away. If the records were true then that meant this whole thing could be a set up. How far did it go? Was Lin involved in this plan like Yui was? Was everything a lie to get her to cooperate? "Hey! Wait, why?"

Lin gaped at Chihiro's retreating form completely flabbergasted. Following her, she called out to her again to no response. Reaching out to gently stop her, Lin nearly cowered from her abrupt response.

"Don't touch me," Chihiro snapped loudly as she turned to glare at Lin. Instantly Chihiro felt regret as Lin backed away from her with a look of hurt and confusion. Lin had never seen Chihiro look at anyone with such disgust or anger as she had seen when the girl had first turned to face her. Her reaction had jarred Lin to the core.

"Stay away from me," Chihiro quietly stated before walking away. Lin stared after her as she disappeared into the bowels of the bathhouse, muttering something beneath her breath.

Lin kept checking Haku's office between chores for most of the morning, hoping to demand some answers from the elusive dragon. Realizing that he was probably avoiding the bathhouse like the coward she believed him to be, she stomped her way down to the infirmary to see if Watari-san knew anything about Chihiro's abnormal behavior. The infirmary was quiet when she entered, but two heads snapped up to look at her. Approaching them, Lin asked if they knew where the matron was. The tanuki spirit answered her as the fox spirit openly stared at her.

"She will not be in today. Is there something I might help you with?"

"Nothing unless you know what's going on with Chihiro," Lin muttered as she turned to leave. She doubted the patients of the infirmary would know the girl since Haku had openly forbid her from entering the area. Hikaru's ears distinctively twitched in Lin's direction as if listening attentively.

"No she hasn't visited us today. She seemed distracted the other day when she stopped by with Yui. Is something the matter with her?"

"I'm not sure what's going on. She seemed upset and yelled at me for touching her. Last I saw her she was heading down here and was muttering something about spirits. I thought maybe she came to talk with the crane. I guess I should go hunt for her," Lin replied.

"Leave her alone," Hikaru spoke up instantly silencing both of them, "whatever she is dealing with she needs time alone to process it."

"As much as I hate to agree with grumpy fox over here, he's probably right. Give her time and I'm sure she will seek you out when she is ready to talk. She is that kind of girl." Frowning at them both Lin silently agreed and excused herself to return to work halfheartedly.

"I had to do things…things I don't like to talk about." Haku's words echoed around her head as she sat on the dock. The docks looked seemingly harmless without the blood stains and corpses lying about. Chihiro found herself questioning every moment, every decision she had made since arriving in the Spirit World. She had agreed to stay after he explained the situation so simply, but what if he was just using her to send the Tainted away? Were Lin, Yui, Kamaji…heck all of her friends here at the bathhouse involved in the plan to sacrifice her? Part of her was screaming to run upstairs, get into her old clothes, and haul ass for the portal at first light, but the other half whispered that there could be more behind this than the obvious. The looks Haku gave her when they passed by each other in the bathhouse, the dates they shared, everything about it screamed to her of a blooming romance. Could she have really been so stupid to fall for him when he was just planning on using her and throwing her away? Rocking her head in her hands, she tried to keep in the tears that were threatening to form.

Hikaru waited until he was sure the tanuki was asleep for his afternoon nap before slipping out of the infirmary. He had a haunting suspicion he knew where Chihiro might have gone to be alone, because it was the place he would go if he wanted to be alone in the bathhouse. Pushing open the door to the docks, he spotted her form curled up at the end of the dock. Her bare feet clutched at the wood below it as she scrunched herself even tighter. Closing the door behind him, Hikaru walked silently towards her already firmly decided in the risk he was about to take. It was the only way he could think of to reach her.

Chihiro heard the quiet footsteps coming closer and braced herself for the impact. Whoever they were she was going to give them a piece of her mind for following her out here.

"Chihiro," a familiar tenor voice sounded. Instantly recognizing the voice as Hikaru's, she felt a bit of solace in his presence. There was no way he could have known about the ceremony, especially being from a different region of the Spirit World altogether.

"Go away, Hikaru. I don't want to see anyone right now."

"You don't have to see me. I will sit back here until you are ready." The sound of moving fabric and the dull thud of flesh hitting the dock told her that he had seated himself nearby. He continued to stare at her as she unfolded slightly. Hikaru found it ironic how the water closest to her position on the dock seemed to be choppy and murky while the rest of the river outside of her five foot radius bubble was calm. It was as if the water itself was sensing her mood and reacting on her behalf. They sat together in silence for quite some time.

"Are you longing to return to your world, Chihiro?" His question startled her and she wondered if he could see the way her eyes were looking over the water towards the portal home.

"I just…I just don't understand spirits." Her statement was met with silence before he spoke bluntly.

"Neither do I most of the times." She felt a sliver of regret for complaining. He was sitting here trying to help her and all she was doing was whining about what he was. It's not like he could understand her viewpoint.

"Do you know why kitsune are so rare now in the Spirit World?" His question seemed out of the blue and she didn't know the answer for it. The sound of rustling cloth distracted her and she wondered if he was moving closer, but without turning around to look at him she had no way of knowing. When she stayed silent, Hikaru continued. "It's because so many of us have chosen to live as humans in your world. Kitsune are born with no bindings to either side, which allows us to remove our magic at will and should we destroy it… become human."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Look at me Chihiro." The sound of Hikaru's voice became clearer and his usual slight nasal accent was gone. Curiosity getting the better of her, Chihiro turned around and felt her jaw drop in surprise. Two feet away from her sitting primly on crossed legs was the most striking man she had ever seen. His skin was so pale that she was surprised to not see the lean muscle moving underneath it and his eyes were a startling dark blue like that of a newly born child. As he stood up she noted the way his tradition purple tobi trousers and ivory shirt had shrunk down to fit his new tall form. If his eyes weren't a dead giveaway as to his identity, the pure white shaggy hair that resembled his white fur and the bandages peeking out from beneath his shirt were clear reminders. A painted red and white fox mask was held tightly in his hand and he fingered it nervously, suddenly unsure if he had made the right decision to reveal himself. Taking a shaky breath, he walked forward slowly and sat beside her, hanging his large bare feet off the edge of the dock. Closing her gaping jaw, Chihiro turned her attention back to the river water in front of them.

"Well I didn't see that coming."

"I didn't think you would," he chuckled quietly. Swinging his feet and flicking water up with his toes, he smirked. "It's actually quite funny. I don't remember my past, what magic I wield, or why I am here, but I remember how to become human." Looking up at him, she saw the honest sincerity in his eyes. Looking closer at him it was easier to see how his prominent facial features could morph into the long snout of a fox. Averting her eyes again, she unfolded her legs to swing them through the surf as well. Hikaru smiled at her and kicked a little water her way trying to break the tension surrounding them. Squealing in surprise, she kicked a wave towards him and tried to dodge the next splash. Within moments an all-out splash war was underway and their laughter ringing out. Trying to get away, Chihiro stood up to leave, but was stopped as Hikaru got up to make chase. Seeing the moment of opportunity, Chihiro shoved Hikaru towards the water only to have him grab her hands on the way out. Together, they fell into the water.

Breaking the surface moments later, Chihiro paddled to keep afloat and began to panic when he hadn't resurfaced. She had just shoved a sick man into a river! What had she been thinking? Before she could dive down to search for him, he came up a few feet away.

"Swimming is a lot harder than I thought it'd be," he said with a wolfish smirk, "Though I'm not sure if that was the best move on your part since now we're both soaked. Does that mean I win?" Rolling her eyes, Chihiro grasped onto the dock and pulled herself back onto it. She offered her hand to Hikaru and helped him pull his body up beside her. Lying flat on their backs, they both panted in the summer air.

"Do you mind telling me what's on your mind now that we have both cooled off a bit?" After a moment of hesitancy, Chihiro let out a sigh and turned her head away from him to stare at the sky.

"I think Haku and Yui are planning on sacrificing me at the cleansing ceremony." Looking over at her, Hikaru lifted an eyebrow in skepticism. That wasn't the problem he was expecting for her to have. He had been expecting for her to pining away for humans and the technology of her world. Hence revealing himself…

"What makes you think that?"

"I found some old records over at Yui's place that talked about the use of a human sacrifice to push back the Tainted. The spirit that convinced the human to do the ritual was the apprentice of Yubaba. Haku has been her only apprentice." Hikaru stopped and thought it over for a moment. He could see how she could reach that conclusion easily with the given information. However from what he could see, Yui cared deeply for the girl and would not stand for anything bad happening to her. Heck he would not allow it either.

"Have you tried confronting either of them?"

"No. If it is true and they know that I know, I'm not sure what they would do…" Scoffing at her, Hikaru rolled his eyes.

"Well I don't know about Master Haku, but Watari-san loves you like a daughter. I don't think she would ever purposefully hurt you or allow anyone else to do so. Perhaps you should talk to one of them about it." Chihiro thought about it for a second and the risks involved with revealing that she knew. If her guess was correct, then they could prevent her from ever going home, but at least she would still be alive right? They couldn't force her to do the ceremony without wasting precious magic that they need for protection and the ritual itself. A wet cough from Hikaru that had him curling inward slightly stole Chihiro's attention.

"Come on let's get you inside. We should change those bandages before your wounds get infected. You never know what is in that river water." Helping him stand up, Chihiro felt the lean muscle of his arms. When she touched him, he felt completely human unlike the rare moments she touched Haku. There was always some sort of edge to Haku as if his inner dragon was never completely hidden within his human form. Grabbing his mask from the dock, he gave her a smile that made her heart thump loudly in her chest. What she wouldn't give for Haku to look at her like that…

"Whenever you need someone to talk to, come to me. Let me be here for you, whether in this form or the other." Returning his smile with her own and a nod, Chihiro watched as he slipped the mask back over his face. Within seconds his body morphed back into the fox that she had always seen. Grasping him under an arm, they headed back to the infirmary. Beneath her calm exterior, Chihiro's determination to find out the truth prevailed with a plan. She was going to try and take down the master of the bathhouse in an all or nothing fight.

Haku laid out on the enchanted grass and watched as the sun traveled higher overhead. Any moment now Chihiro would be here to challenge him, but he was already prepared. He had already taken precautions to enchant the grass to soften any landings and removed any sharp stones from the area. She had already come so far in her self-defense lessons. Hearing her approaching footsteps, he stood up to face her. Her lips were drawn in a firm line and she looked to him as if she carried the world on her shoulders.

"Good evening Chihiro," Haku started but was brought up short as she threw the first punch right at his face. Blocking it, he felt shock coil through him as he avoided a kick. Raising an eyebrow, he stared at the way she went on with the attack. Catching the next punch, he held it tightly in his hand and moved it close to his chest. "You know I believe I am supposed to be the one attacking you so you can practice."

"I want answers Haku," Chihiro stated. He could feel the underlying anxiety and confusion beneath her tension. Whatever was bothering her was seriously causing a whirlwind of emotions.

"Ask away then," he replied as he continued to stay on the defensive.

"Are you planning on sacrificing me at the cleansing ceremony?" Haku caught both of her hands and held her tight at an arm's distance. Memories flashed behind his eyes of the different humans he had helped to sacrifice at ceremonies around the Eastern Wetlands when he was Yubaba's apprentice. Shoving her locked arms away, she fell at his feet. Chihiro registered how the grass seemed to be softer than the mats they usually practiced on, but didn't linger on it.

"I would never sacrifice you for any cause. The entire Spirit World could be burning to the ground, and I would not lift a finger to save it if it would cost you your life." His words made her heart soar with feeling, but she couldn't help question their truth. It seemed like the perfect kind of romantic line to put more cotton over her eyes. As she scrambled back onto her feet, Haku went on the offensive. Carefully measuring his power out to not overwhelm or hurt her, he began with simple strikes to see if she would block them properly. Chihiro kept up with ease and he pressured her more as he sped up slightly, causing her to retreat a few steps.

"How am I supposed to believe that when you sent a girl to her death to push away the Tainted? I saw some of the old records Haku. You are a liar and a murderer." Panic raced through his veins as he wished to deny her accusations, but knew they were true. He had long accepted what he had done as Yubaba's assistant, but that didn't mean he wanted everyone, especially Chihiro, to know. Haku could see the fear in her eyes now and the tears fighting to break free. Despite everything, her heart still beat for him whether she cared to acknowledge it or not.

"I told you before that I did things under Yubaba's control that I did not want to do. Those actions were not by choice. I was under orders." Haku felt the words grit out against his better judgement. He really did not want her knowing about the kind of man he was under Yubaba or how sometimes he was tempted to use the old ways to accomplish his goals. Oftentimes, he had to remind himself that the outcome did not usually outweigh the means. He stood by his morals now to keep the bathhouse safe and bring peace to the wetlands, even if it wasn't necessarily the choices he preferred to make. His admission struck terror into her heart, but even more so it brought sadness. She admitted that she liked him, liked him more than she had ever liked someone before, but it was likely that he was going to kill her. A small part inside of her admitted that it would be a worthwhile sacrifice to save the many spirits suffering under the war, but the more logical half argued that perhaps this was the real reason he didn't want to be with her. If he was going to sacrifice her then of course their relationship was complicated, but his vagueness on the matter made her angry. Why couldn't he have just been upfront about it? It was easier to be angry with him than to show him how torn she was between wanting him and saving herself from whatever fate he was bringing her into.

"Let me guess, now you are under orders from who knows where to see me killed for the better good. Why Haku? Why do you even bother lying to me? I only want the truth." Haku could see a tear rolling down her cheek and smell the distress coming off of her. He was making her this way. Taking her attacks in stride he struggled with his own aching heart. It had been throbbing so much for her and what they could be over the past few days. "You don't have to admit that you will kill me then. Just- Why can't I just be with you for the little time we have left? Why do you have to push me away?"

Feeling tears prick at his own eyes, he brushed her attack aside and swept her into his arms. Holding her struggling form against him, he hid his face in her hair. He didn't want her to see how much her words hurt him. He was honestly trying his best to keep her safe and nearby, even when she pushed him in directions he knew weren't appropriate for the friendship he was trying to maintain. Even if she didn't believe in anything else, she should know that her welfare was his top priority. Haku nuzzled deeper into her neck, savoring her sweet scent that was lying just beneath the smell of confusion and anger. Her open admission of liking him tempted him to make the move he knew he should not. Haku understood that her feelings didn't match the depth of his love for her, a love that ran deep within him, but it was enough to bring him a desperate sense of hope. Within moments she gave up struggling and he felt her tears soaking into the fabric of his shirt.

"Chihiro," his voice was rough with emotion as he tried to keep himself in check, "I may not be completely honest with you at times, but know that I will protect you at all costs. I…I… cherish you more than anything else."

"Then why do you keep me at arm's length? You like me, why can't we find a way to make this work-"

"Because I have no choice!" His loud confession hung between them as tears came down from Chihiro's eyes. Clutching her tighter to him, he fought back his own tears. This was not how he had seen this encounter going. He had seen them having a nice sparring match before heading back to the bathhouse for a cup of tea. Instead they stood at the precipice as to how to move forward. "There are spirits who would hunt you down and kill you if they knew how close you are to me. There are spirits at the Capital who would use you to get me to fight at the fronts. The moment the world knows that I love you or that we have something together, is the moment that you will no longer be able to live. I can't do it, Chihiro, I won't destroy you!"

Chihiro felt the trembling in his bones as he held her. Despite the way it felt so right to be within his arms, her heart seemed to break harder than it had when he had denied her the first time. Each step forward felt like two steps back. He was grasping at her as if she were the air itself and he, a drowning man. Suddenly, he held her away from him and she could finally see the redness in his watery eyes.

"Do you know why spirits aren't allowed to take humans for partners anymore? Because we are naturally greedy and selfish! It isn't enough to share ourselves with you and take you into us. Your short lifespan of a hundred years doesn't give us enough memories to live on for the rest of eternity. So we become desperate as time runs out and beg you to give up your life and become a spirit as well. It seems like a small price to pay to spend eternity together, except spirits have no afterlife. If something happens to us and we pass the barrier into death, there is no rebirth or continuation. It is the end of existence. When humans die you return to rest with your people in the Ocean of Souls and eventually are reborn into a new life. In this way, humans live forever in an unending circle while we spirits live only the length of time we can manage to keep ourselves clean of impurities. So no Chihiro, no matter how deeply I desire you or how badly I wish to act on my feelings, I will not give into your demands." Releasing her completely as if all of the power in him had slipped away, he let his head drop to look down at his toes. He couldn't bear to look at the heartbreak on her face that matched his own. Haku had to keep reminding himself that this was for the better good. "Your life is much too important to me."

Haku and Chihiro stood only a step apart, but the distance between their weeping hearts was miles further. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She felt like she was finally understanding him for the first time since she had arrived in the Spirit World. His green eyes were downturned away from her and she looked at them with pity as an old saying came to mind. Just because you love someone, doesn't mean you will get to spend the rest of your life with them. This seemed to be one of those cases and though her heart ached, she smiled weakly at him. She had cried enough today to raise the river a solid inch. Her tears would not make his decision any easier and she had to respect him for the choice he had made for the better good. Nodding her head, Chihiro took a few steps back from him slowly. Her heart throbbed for her to fight, fight for what could be between them, even if it was costly, but her mind understood.

"Thank you for the lessons, Master Kohaku, but I think it would be best if I not continue for a while so I can focus on preparing for the ceremony," she said with a deep bow to him. Stopping himself from begging her to not call him so formally, he gave her a curt reply back.

"It was pleasure teaching such an eager student Ogino-san. I know you will do well in the upcoming days." Chihiro turned her back on Haku and walked stiffly back to the bathhouse. From the window of his room above End of the Line, Taka watched them separate. He could feel pain in his heart for them and the decision they had made. The dragon had waited so long to be with her…he was sure of it. Yet he was letting her walk away. Taka wanted to berate the man for his decision, but he knew he wasn't much better. How long had he pined over the same weasel that always seemed out of reach?

As soon as Chihiro was well out of sight, Haku dropped to his knees and let his last mask drop. Silently tears rolled down his cheeks as he felt the magnitude of what he had done deep within him. There was no future for them together unless he broke the rules, he knew that from the start, but that didn't make the pain any less real. Changing forms, Haku took to the sky and headed straight for his river. Tonight he would sleep curled in the depths of its silt.


	21. Chapter 20

This is only half of what I had planned originally for this chapter, but it will have to do for now. I will be working double shifts at work for the next 2 weeks meaning my time to write will be nonexistent so I wanted to give you what I have so far. I am going to aim for a **July 24th** update, but there is a good chance I will not update again until early August sometime since i have to move out of my lair and prepare to live out of my suitcase for the month of August. I got the poll fixed so PLEASE GO VOTE. It's simple really. You go click on my name (northestwinds) and you will see a small graph at the top of the profile page that you can click on to see the prompt to vote. If I get over twenty votes on the poll I'll post two chapters with the next update or something to reward you guys for your participation in solving my indecisiveness.

Thanks for your continued support and patience. You guys are the best and I'm grateful to have you guys as readers.

PS- I don't write tragedies cause I'm one of those saps that cries for hours after one of the characters I like dies. I still haven't gotten over the engineer's death in Valkyria Chronicles and its been two years...anyways, do not give up hope. I have an ending worked out that is in line with everything that I have set up thus far and fulfills the romantic desires between the two leads...it's just a long way on the horizon.

 **Chapter 20:**

Several days had passed in silence between Lin, Chihiro and Haku. Nobody had seen Haku around the bathhouse since the last major rain, though there were rumors of several small skirmishes occurring in the woods beyond the town. The flowers had stopped appearing in front of her room each morning, much to Chihiro's relief. After their fight, she had thrown out all of the flowers in her room and the small stones he had given her. She had even picked up the hairpins with the intention of sending them down the trash shoot as well, but found she didn't have the heart to destroy them. Secretly she treasured them like her memories of their shared time together. Chihiro was trying hard to get over her broken heart, but each night she would glance at the closed box in her closet with a small frown. Logic argued against it, but her heart still wanted him. Lin gave Chihiro the space she thought she needed and continued on with her work grumpily. For her part, Chihiro worked almost incessantly on the summoning dance and after her morning lessons with Yui, would practice at the infirmary so Hikaru and Okita could help correct her. Eventually she did go and apologize to Lin, but didn't explain herself other than to say she had had a bad day. Lin accepted her apology and passed the blame off on disappointment from Haku's rejection. In time she was sure they would be back to being close again. The tension between the heads of staff and the missing master was well-hidden by the excitement for the upcoming festival.

When Haku did arrive back to the bathhouse, Lin was the first person waiting for him in his office with a hand cocked angrily on her hip.

"You could have at least sent me a note. Where have you been? I've been worried sick! Chihiro is acting weird, you have been missing, and Watari-san is as stone faced as ever, useless bird that she is."

"There were several Tainted assassins lurking in the woods beyond the town that needed disposing of. Those eels are useless pieces of shit," Haku swore with disgust and sat down in his office chair. Slamming her hands down on the desk, Lin leaned towards him.

"Well I could have used some notice! The heads of the planning committees have been throwing a fuss since we are only a week and a half away from the matsuri and they need final budget approvals before proceeding. We also need to finalize the list of guests we are having during the matsuri so that those denied can make other arrangements. And most importantly you haven't seen Chihiro. She's so focused on perfecting that stupid dance that I swear the bones of her feet are coming out of her fragile skin. Aren't you supposed to be taking care of her?" Picking up the first stack of papers on his desk, Haku began to absentmindedly read them.

"What she chooses to do with her time here is none of my concern so long as she is nearby and secure," Haku drawled without interest. Lin looked at him in shock. Was this really the same dragon that had growled at her weeks prior for coming within ten feet of the girl? He was acting just as strange as Chihiro.

"Did you lose your perfect little control and kiss her again? Is that why both of you are acting like this? I thought your rejection the other day was fairly destructive on its own without you leading her heart this way and that."

"Our relationship or lack thereof is none of your concern."

"It becomes my concern when one of you is trying to work herself to death and the other is off fighting battles that don't need to be fought. Haku, be honest with me. I'm not the enemy here and you know I'm the closest thing you got to a friend." Cocking an eyebrow at her over his papers, he let his lips quip up in a mocking expression.

"Look Lin, things are much more complicated than I'm willing to explain. There is too much at stake for me to consider pursuing her at the moment, even if I was interested in doing so. I have to keep the peace."

"Now we are getting somewhere," Lin said with a sarcastic sigh and eye roll, "So you like her back, but are finding excuses why you two can't be together. Why am I not surprised. You guys always make the little things so complicated! Oh and speaking of complications, in case you forgot proper courting etiquette, let me remind you that using magic to punish someone for trying to get close to you is a shitty way to go about rejecting them. If you use magic to harm her again, trust me when I say that I will be sharpening my blades and coming to pay you a visit, master of the bathhouse or not." Haku stopped himself from correcting her. There was no way he was going to honestly admit to her what really happened those moments of contact when he had tittered on the pinnacle of his control.

"I'll keep that in mind should she ever decide to grace me with such favors again," Haku replied with a nonchalant smirk. Inside he felt anything but what he was projecting. Lin balked at the expression and felt herself grind her teeth in anger.

"Finish this paperwork before lunchtime so I can distribute it before the afternoon committee meetings," Lin demanded whirling on her heel and stalking towards the door. Stopping in the doorway, she frowned back at Haku. "She deserves better than you. I hope you know that."

As the door slammed behind her, Haku felt himself slump in his chair. The impact of her words threw salt in the wounds. "Tell me something I don't already now," he whispered before turning his gaze towards Chihiro's closed door. Shaking his head as if to clear his thoughts of her, Haku started on the paperwork piled atop his desk.

"These are the ankle bells, fan, and mask you will be wearing when you conduct the ceremony," Yui stated as she placed the boxes onto the tatami floor beside them. Opening them with precision, she pulled out each relic and explained its history. Chihiro slowly put on the mask and bells before taking the fan from Yui's extended wings. "From now on, you will practice as if each run through is the ceremony itself. I will mimic the motions he is bound to take, but you must keep your mind completely blank. By not focusing on a specific spirit, you should be able to feel the flow of magic without committing it to action."

Together they went through the summoning ritual with the relics and Chihiro felt the weight of each movement. It was like her entire body was charged and she moved slowly with purpose as if underwater. Suddenly, Yui's nit picking from the beginning made sense. She made far fewer mistakes now with the actual objects than she probably would have otherwise. Small things like the small wrist flip before the dip helped to keep the tassel of the fan untangled and the turning out of her feet helped her keep her balance. All of it had a purpose and she had learned well. As they finished up the ritual dance, Chihiro closed the ceremony out and allowed the relics to slip through her fingers to rest in their boxes. Her feet and hands were red as if stung by the energy she moved and her face was flushed and sweating. Despite her discomfort, Chihiro could feel the pride that Yui vibrated as the crane spirit smiled widely at her.

"That was very good for a first time. Let's do it again a few more times and call it a day. You will need time to recover after using magic for the first time." Smiling back at her, Chihiro picked up the relics and donned them again. This time they seemed to hum slightly with resonant energy, but she started the dance again. "Who knows, you might even be able to show Okita-san your dance tomorrow night at his going away party if you work hard."

Chihiro took Yui's last minute advice to soak her hands and feet in cold water. With a basin of water in hand and a few frozen towels, she found a comfortable seat in front of the fire and set up camp. Haku had been gone for days and she had yet to see him, but it was obvious from the silence that he was not here. Moving her toes slowly into the water, she relaxed the muscles of her legs and closed her eyes. She had worked hard to get here and the fact that Yui was finally allowing her to practice with the relics meant that she was reaching an acceptable performance. The only downside of practicing with the relics is that her feet and hands became sore after every run through. She wondered if it had anything to do with the channeling of energy through the dance motions. Wrapping her hands in towels, Chihiro closed her eyes and relaxed back into the couch. The sound of the door opening from Haku's office didn't even phase her.

Haku saw Chihiro sprawled out on the sofa with her hands wrapped, feet soaking, and eyes closed. Even from his position in the doorway he could see the sores troubling her. He was tempted to go over and lay a hand on her to send a small burst of healing magic through her. Remembering their last meeting, he instead moved quickly to retrieve one of the numerous gifts in his room. Spirits were beginning to arrive in town for the festival and many of them were eager to pay their respects to the master of the bathhouse. Returning back, he stood beside the couch and cleared his throat loudly to get her attention. Lazily opening her eyes, Chihiro looked at him as if she wasn't truly seeing him. It was easier for her to pretend he didn't exist than to face the truth.

"Zeniba has sent dango from the Capital as an apology for her long delay. I hope that you will share some with me," Haku lied easily as he opened the box and offered her one of the leaf wrapped treats as a peace offering. Taking one neatly and putting it into her mouth, Chihiro muttered her thanks and focused her eyes on the fire. Sitting on the far end of the couch, Haku set the box between them and nudged them closer to her. "Feel free to help yourself. I already ate my share and it's you who has been truly inconvenienced by this whole mess."

Chihiro defiantly popped another one into her mouth and kept her internal sighing from coming out. She had been so caught up with the preparations for the festival and the whole situation with Haku that she had almost forgotten the ticking clock hanging overhead. Wrapping some hair behind her ear, she wondered if he was expecting her to start a conversation since he was still sitting there. This was the closest they had been in days and the longest they had spoken since the milestone fight.

"I thought she would have found the answer by now."

"The archives at the Capital are extensive and even for a skilled witch like her, they are a challenge to navigate." Leaning over, Haku took one of the dango and ate it as he watched her out of the corner of his eye. Her eyes had peeled downwards after taking another sweet into her mouth. A hint of red bean paste lay exposed at the corner of his mouth and he was sorely tempted to close the distance between them and lick it off. His thoughts were interrupted as the lights suddenly went off and the sound of a wailing siren pierced the air. Chihiro's fear was instant as she turned to look at his calm expression with her own concern. He could smell the angst and terror coming off of her, but all he felt was resignation at his interrupted attempt to make peace. The barrier across the river was under attack and that meant he needed to go. Haku got up and moved smoothly towards the cabinet as Chihiro hastily dried her hands and feet off.

"I should get downstairs and help Lin lock down the bathhouse. Surely there is something I can do to help."

"You should stay up here where it's safe," Haku countered as he quickly poured a small cup of tea from the waiting tea pot on the table. She couldn't recall it being there before, she would have helped herself to some if it had, but it was there now. The room was lit by the flashing red lights that cast the room in an eerie glow. Chihiro watched him down the tea quickly and grimace at its flavor.

"I am going with or without your permission, Haku. I would be of more use downstairs helping out. If it makes you feel better, I promise I will be careful."

"If you are going to be stubborn and insist on going then at least let me give you something to improve your chances of survival, incase anything happens. Kamaji warned me you would try something like this when the time came and to think I actually doubted him…" Haku grumbled as he went to the cabinet and quickly fetched a small bottle. Pouring its contents into the tea cup, he quickly filled it with tea and offered it out to her with indifference. Taking the cup with a skeptical expression, Chihiro drank the tea back and felt herself grimace at the terrible bitterness that followed. She was more surprised that he hadn't asked for her to put the hairpins in since Lin had admitted he had charmed them for her protection.

"Then I'll be off then," Chihiro muttered as she put the cup back onto the table and started to walk past Haku. Stopping to give him a smile she spoke honestly. "And thanks Haku. For trusting me."

Nodding his head he motioned for her to continue. Walking confidently into his office, Chihiro made her way towards the door as he followed closely behind. She had nearly no time to react as her knees suddenly buckled out from underneath her and her vision faded to black. Catching her in his arms, Haku adjusted her limp unconscious form closer to his chest. Apologizing earnestly to her, he held her tight for a moment longer before walking to the bathroom. Bubbling happily with eagerness, his water had already removed the cover and drain cover of the bath in preparation.

Climbing the steps to the edge of the bath, Haku carefully considered what he was about to do. He could feel the tremor of his barrier under attack, but that didn't stop him from curtly reminding his water of all of the things that could go wrong. There was no time for him to hide her anywhere else and he sure as hell wasn't going to let her downstairs when the bathhouse was under siege. He was going to have to trust himself, trust in his water, to keep her safe. Sliding her gently into his water, he felt the water carefully wrap itself around her. Leaning over he tested the air bubble around her face to make sure it was adequate and with a rue of regret wiped the smear of red bean paste away from the corner of her mouth. She had trusted him moments before and would surely be angry at him later for this, but her safety was worth it. Giving his water a quick nod, he watched it pull her down the drain as fast as it could, eager for its time alone with her. Haku closed the cover over the bathtub and walked quickly to the balcony to change forms. The town across the river was the source of the disturbance, and though it felt manageable he was not going to take any chances.


	22. Chapter 21

It seems my dream of medical school will have to be postponed until January due to financial aid and credit transfer reasons. In the meantime, I will take a few classes online, find someplace new to live by next Saturday, and keep working full time at my job. I know that all of these events in my personal life have caused the writer's block that I'm experiencing; I can't relax long enough to immerse myself in writing. As a result, I want to give a special shout out to some of the reviewers that helped me get enough pip in my step to finish this chapter: _Trastuspies, Sherona849, and pikaree1_. Everyone's messages always mean the world to me, but your reviews often give me a unique view into how others are interpreting this story. What I see in my head, what actually gets down on paper, and what the reader actually gets from the story is uniquely different, and I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to see it your way.

 **PLEASE GO TO MY PROFILE AND VOTE IN THE POLL!** If I get twenty or more votes I will post two chapters at once for both of my stories.

Next update will probably arrive before or on **August 8th**.

 **Chapter 21:**

Gentle fingers tugging through her hair brought Chihiro closer to consciousness. It was as if she was waking up from a long sleep. Her body slowly began returning to life, but was encased in what felt like soft cool rippling water. Her hair was pulled on again and the scrape of a firm object against her skull told her that someone was playing with her hair. Probably putting it up with whatever the object was, but she couldn't rouse herself enough to open her eyes. It was comfortable here in the darkness. Her body felt like it was floating yet it was supported by whatever she was resting on. The smell of water was thick in the air and she wondered if she had fallen asleep in the bathtub again. Her mother used to get so angry at her for falling asleep in there…another tug this time at her clothes brought her back to focus. She would not have worn clothes into a bathtub. Trying to open her eyes to get better look at who was touching her, Chihiro felt a moment of panic when her eyes would not open.

A strong pressure in her forehead swept a wave of peace through her and she recognized immediately that the calm feelings were not her own. Images flashed through her head as the pressure seemed to realize that she was awake enough to recognize it. The darkness slipped away and she could mentally see herself floating in water, as if she were outside her own body looking back at it. The current of the river was busily tucking strands of hair in an intricate updo held together with pearls and white scales of some sort. Her uniform was gone and replaced with a long sleeved kimono that resembled the shimmering blues and greens of the water surrounding her. It wouldn't have been hard to confuse her as a sacrifice to the river if not for the air bubble neatly pressed around her face showing otherwise. Cooing happily the river continued to preen at her appearance and Chihiro could feel its emotions alongside her own. Sensing her bewilderment and confusion, the river flashed more images before her closed eyes, showing her how Haku had given it to her for protection but that he would be back soon. It was happy to see her and even more delighted to have her there within it. Her anger spiked at Haku's betrayal and wordlessly she and his river discussed it. Despite the lack of voices or words, his river conveyed its thoughts through emotions and flashes of memory. It begged her to not be angry and instead understand that the situation called for it. She argued back that the situation did not call for it and that frankly it was a low blow. They went back and forth for quite sometime before the river gave up and just outright apologized. Accepting its apology, Chihiro mentally sat back and watched it continue its work on her. She could feel the deep affection it was treating her with and in time, her curiosity overcame her dwindling anger. She asked it why had it changed her clothes and was doing her hair. If the river could mentally project a bashful school boy, it was doing so now, so much so that a blush flitted over her unmoving cheeks.

Trying to breathe slowly, Chihiro tried to move her body and found that she could not. The memory of Kamaji and Haku gossiping in the boiler room discussing their mutual worry that she would run to trouble when the siren went off played through her head. Kamaji had predicted exactly what she would do and gave Haku the drug to paralyze her. They had planned for this. The river tried to soothe her and showed how it had been slowly sapping the toxin out of her system so that she would wake up before the estimated length of effect. It wanted her to wake up and be with it, something Haku had not foreseen being a problem. Time seemed to pass slowly as she and the river got to know each other and conversed over many topics. Before long the water told her that Haku was approaching swiftly and that it was time for her to go back to land. Unsure of how to respond, Chihiro thanked it for its hospitality in letting her stay there and it insisted it would prefer to keep her there for much longer, but Haku would surely scold it.

The water brought Chihiro up to the surface breaching the air bubble and releasing the last bit of toxin holding her unconscious. Opening her eyes, she was surprised to find herself in a large cavern. As the river brought her towards one of its sandy banks, the water started to move upward to place her upright. The soft sandy silt squished into her toes and she was held straight up. Haku's water kept its hold on her knees and balanced her as she wobbled slightly. It had expected that she would feel weak after the total body paralysis drug. The sound of quick moving footsteps approaching drew her attention upriver. Moving around a large boulder in the path, Haku took in the sight that greeted him. Chihiro looked as if she had walked straight out of one of his personal fantasies and the sight stopped him dead in his tracks. A gentle smile twitched on her pouting lips as she seemed to trade a few last thoughts with his water, but her eyes bore holes into his soul. Scales from his dragon form and pearls grown from the depths of his river decorated her hair marking her as his chosen partner. She looked every bit the part of a river god's wife and he saw the possibility of their future burn before his eyes. In moments she would close the distance between them and flinging her arms around his neck, bury her body into his. He would tell her he was home and hold her close before they would return to the water together. He smiled his happy lopsided grin and was only interrupted from the mirage when she called his name. Blinking the image away, Haku saw the concerned look on her face. He must have been standing there for longer than expected and he hoped that the longing for what he considered impossible had not shown up on his face. Stepping towards him and away from the water, Chihiro gasped as her legs gave out weakly from underneath her. Within seconds, Haku was there cradling her in his arms and his water had surrounded their ankles.

"Sorry it seems that I'm still a little weak from whatever you gave me," Chihiro muttered, but Haku barely registered the words as his eyes followed her opened lips. He had expected her to be furious with him, but she seemed calm and not as unresponsive as he thought she would be upon his return. As he turned his questioning towards his river, it slunk away muttering that he should be grateful for the gift that it has bestowed upon him and that if it had its way it would never have let her go again. Something about ungrateful fool was also muttered, but he chose to ignore it. Rolling his eyes at its sass and simplicity, Haku tried to focus in on the woman in his arms. Lifting her more fully into position he began walking back towards the pipe upstairs. Chihiro started to argue and say that she could walk, but from the tingling sensation in her feet she realized it was not likely. Leaning into his chest and resting her head on his shoulder, she let herself relax and enjoy the moment. She knew she should have given him a piece of her mind for his actions, but after talking to his river for hours it felt like the message had already been delivered. Even as she was thinking about how she needed to forget her feelings for him, Chihiro relished the closeness and snuggled closer. There was something so sinfully good about feeling him against her. As if he heard her thoughts, Haku held her further away from his body as he took flight up the pipe.

Entering into her bedroom, Haku sat her down in front of the vanity and used his knee to keep her propped up. Her eyes stared at the image in the mirror and her mouth became an o of surprise. Chihiro looked beautiful and her skin seemed to glow with a radiance that she had only seen after hours of makeup. Setting to work on removing pearls and scales, he set them on the vanity before her.

"Whose scales are those," she asked breathily as he grabbed her hair brush and gently tamed the locks he had freed. The white scales had an iridescence to them like opal, but had apparent notches in them as if cut. How they had held her hair up with the pearls was beyond her imagination.

"They are mine," Haku said as he fought to keep the blush off of his face. The idea of her wearing his scales stroked his inner dragon ego, but now was not the time for that. He needed to get this beautiful rat's nest out of her hair so he could put her to bed. If Kamaji had delivered the dose right, she would sleep for at least ten hours shortly after waking from the toxin. Chihiro saw the blush on his face and instantly her face was aflame as well. Slowly lifting out her hand, she took one of the scales into her grasp and ran a finger over its glimmering lines.

"They're very beautiful." Blushing outright, Haku tugged more scales out of her hair and tried to work quickly and gently. Muttering a thanks, he glanced up to catch the smile on her face. Her smile always seemed to light up his world.

"You can keep them if you want. My river wanted you to have them."

"I'm not quite sure how to use them," Chihiro murmured as she let out a big yawn. She was so sleepy…

"It's simple really. Just like this," Haku showed her how to weave her hair into the notch and push it into place. As her eyes drooped she smiled at him and his fingers froze for just a moment in their busy work.

"Too complicated. Can't you just put it up for me when the time comes," Chihiro mumbled off. It was so hard to keep her eyes open. His fingers felt so good against her scalp, brushing out her hair, and relieving it of the pretty objects the river had placed in it.

"Sure. If that's what you really wish." Haku slipped more of the scales out and placed them on the vanity. Glancing at her in the mirror, he was not surprised to see her eyes close and her breathing even. She had fallen asleep against his knee. Finish off her hair, he ran his fingers through the brushed locks and leaned into breath her scent. Weaving the hair into a braid, he tied it off and considered the situation she had left him in. He couldn't imagine that sleeping in a kimono of this sort to be comfortable, but he was hesitant to remove it from her. Deciding to take the chance, Haku carefully removed her obi and kimono, grateful that she had on a nagajuban beneath. Placing her down gently into bed and tucking her in under the covers he hoped that she would be comfortable enough like that. As she curled up towards him in her slumber, he leaned over and gently pressed a kiss to her forehead. He loved her so much.

Chihiro put the punch out on the long table in the breakroom as Lin finished the last of the streamers. Though it was well after closing time most of the staff who had served down in the infirmaries were already there, chattering in the corners and waiting for the guest of honor to arrive. Yui had brought up the last of the patients that were strong enough to attend and had just returned downstairs for Okita. Many would be celebrating his departure with gusto. The bathhouse was finally going to be free of the infamous prankster. Saddling up to Lin, Chihiro smiled at all of the guests around her. Finishing her work, Lin placed her hands on her hips and faced the crowd.

"Looks pretty good if I do say so myself. Hopefully the dragon doesn't crash it." Looking over at Lin in surprise, Chihiro saw her observing the partygoers with a smirk on her face.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Let's just say I sent him on an errand that should take most of the night so that we could get the patients above ground for the party." Walking away smugly, Lin winked back at her over her shoulder.

"Do I even want to know what she did," Hikaru asked as he stepped up beside Chihiro.

"No, it's probably for the best that we leave that alone," turning towards him she smiled broadly, "Are you ready to see Okita go? Soon it will be your turn."

"He isn't going far for now. Besides, he talked Yui into getting him leave through the festival. I think he's really looking forward to that dance of yours."

"Probably wants me to trip on my kimono sleeves or something," she laughed rolling her eyes. Offering her a glass of punch, they clinked their glasses together before drinking.

"It's too bad we could only have punch instead of something with alcohol in it."

"Yeah Yui shut that down before it even got started. She said something along the lines of 'you hooligans are enough trouble sober.'" Their laughter filled the air as the man of the hour arrived. Walking slowly into the room on his own two feet, Okita received a round of cheers and applause. It didn't take long for the music to start up and the party to really get started. Line dances and circle dances followed back to back leaving the participants little time to chatter. Chihiro spent most of the evening chatting with different patients and staff members as she made her way around the room. Skirting by edge of a circle dance, Chihiro found herself shoved into the mix by none other than the devil weasel herself. Catching her with a feisty wink as if it had all been part of a plan, Okita wrapped his arms around her and began the dance.

"I really can't dance," Chihiro shouted above the music as Okita laughed. Turning her this way and that, she barely could keep up with the basic steps. The modest skirt she had worn fluttered upward with each twist and spin, but luckily never soared high enough to reveal anything of importance.

"Don't worry! All of the guys here can," Okita replied as he spun her around to face the interior of the circle and released one of her hands. The bear spirit dancing beside her grasped her hand and just like that she was spun off to the next partner. By the fourth partner, Chihiro was not stepping on her partner's toes as she tried to keep up with the different leads. With the next changeover she was surprised to see a blur of white intercept her hand as she reached for the next partner. Pulling her close, Hikaru began to lead her through the dance.

"I've been waiting all night for this," he said with a wolfish smile. Chihiro had to admit that he moved her with a grace that the others simply lacked in their lead. It was as if it were as easy as breathing water for him.

"Why is that," Chihiro asked above the music.

"I only have enough energy in me for one dance tonight and I wanted to make sure it was with you." Dipping her low, she snapped back upright and let him guide her feet around him.

"Not bad for a fox," she chided with a saucy smile. Smirking right back at her, he spun her out and brought her back in even closer to his chest.

"Not bad for your two left feet." Breaking out in laughter, Chihiro tripped over her own feet and nearly fell over as he moved her onto the next steps. Hikaru tried to muffle his snickers, but failed miserably as he saw her scowling face. Trying to keep it together, they stumbled out of the line circle grasping onto each other in laughter.

"Oh my kami-sama, you should have seen your face!" As the music came to an end, they bowed to each other.

"If I can have everyone's attention please," Okita called out, "I wanted to thank everyone for coming out tonight to see my graduation. If it weren't for Watari-san and all of the staff who took care of me I would probably be dead in the sandy marshes. The frogs have offered to play just two more songs to close out the evening, but before that I wanted to say a special thanks to my partner in crime Chihiro Ogino. It sure as hell would have been dreadfully boring if you hadn't been around."

Swiping a glass off of a nearby table, he raised it in salute in her direction. "May no one ever find out that you are as big of a trouble maker as I am." Rolling her eyes, Chihiro took a glass and saluted him back. As everyone drank their toast, Yui stood up and took the floor.

"I doubt anyone could match you Okita-san. However, we have a small parting gift for your graduation from the infirmary. Since you will not be able to get close to the cleansing ceremony during the water festival, Chihiro has offered to perform her dance now so that you may see the beauty of her performance up close." Leaning over to Chihiro, Yui whispered quickly into her ear. "Haku just arrived and is lurking in the back of the room. Conduct the dance and focus in on him. He should respond to your call even without the magic."

"But I don't have the fan or-"

"Just think of it as a practice run using him as your partner." Clapping her on the back, Yui moved away into the retracting crowd as everyone gave her space. Uncertainty from the sudden request ate away at her inside, but the sight of so many smiling faces looking up reassured her that it would be fine. It was only another practice run. Within moments, she found herself standing alone in the center of a crowded silent room, with all eyes on her.

Focusing herself mentally Chihiro took a deep breath and released it before assuming the starting position. The room was silent as her feet slowly slid forward to begin. Even without the relics she could feel the wisps of magic in the air around her as she sought out Haku. Calling out to him with her mind and heart, she started the dance. The air around her began to smell of fresh water and she smiled as her eyes finally found his from across the room. Yui felt her pride bubble as she watched Chihiro conduct the dance flawlessly. Watching Haku out of the corner of her eye she waited excitedly for the moment when he would respond and complete their dance together. The signal came and went and Chihiro froze for a breadth of a second as she looked at Haku confused. Why wasn't he coming forward to join her? Wasn't this their moment? Tearing her eyes from Chihiro, Yui saw the uninterested expression on Haku's face as he stared back at Chihiro. Soothing out her features, Chihiro continued the dance, but the crane was beyond angry. How dare he leave her waiting for him? She could feel the air and water around them resonating with her call to him, but he ignored it as if it were a dragonfly upon the surface of his water. As the dance came to a close, Haku swiftly made his way out the door and Yui quickly followed after him as a round of applause sounded the end.


	23. Chapter 22

I have successfully moved into my new place over this past week after crashing on my best friend's floor for the previous week. Classes will begin this fall in just a few weeks and I'm looking forward to starting medical school in January.

I have 6 of the 20 votes required for a double chapter release. Please go vote in the poll on my profile. Even if you don't care for any of the options, just choose one randomly and vote so you get the double update.

In this chapter, I finally started to explain things that have been alluded to throughout the story and am looking forward to seeing what you guys have to say about it. Thanks in advance for your messages, reviews, critiques, support, patience and ongoing support. Next update will occur on August 17th.

 **Chapter 22:**

Chihiro felt her heart sink as she saw Haku escape the room with Yui hot on his heels. He had not responded when she had performed. It was a nightmare come true. The world seemed to slow down and the noises of applause and talking blurred into a dull cacophony in the background. People were reaching out to compliment her, but her mind was elsewhere. Absently thanking them and trying to move, she felt like she was underwater. Nudging past people, Chihiro slipped out of the door and away from the party. Her brain finally focused in on the footsteps loudly moving away from her. Chihiro's feet seemed to take her forward without her command as she stumbled after them. Walking became running as she tried to catch them and the clips of their ongoing conversation. She needed to know why he hadn't come to her. Turning the corner in time to see a door down the hall shut, Chihiro approached slowly and pressed her ear against the wood.

"She's not good enough Watari-san. Her performance won't bring the power we are going to need."

"Her dance was perfect and even I could feel the vibrations of her movements without the relics. How could you leave her alone up there?"

"I will not respond to an inferior-"

"Don't you dare finish that statement Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi! I'm insulted that you would even consider saying that."  
Unable to listen further as his words echoed painfully around her mind, Chihiro pushed away from the door and walked away from the arguing voices. Tears wordlessly ran down her cheeks and before long, she found herself running. Chihiro was tearing through the bathhouse unsure of where she was going, and soon footsteps pounded after her. Grabbing her, Lin hugged her tight as the sobs finally wracked through her body. Clutching onto the weasel spirit desperately, Chihiro finally released the pain from her heart.

The moon was blindingly bright when Chihiro awoke the following morning. Looking out from the nest of covers she considered whether or not she wanted to get out of bed today. After last night there was truly no point in continuing to practice, there was hardly any way that she could become the perfection that he was seeking. In more ways than one his rejection hurt. The cleansing ceremony and their resulting dance together was something she had been looking forward to. It was going to be an activity to bring them closer, but now it seemed like everything she had worked towards was not enough. Sighing quietly, she rolled over determined to remain in bed.

"You better not be thinking about staying there," Lin commented as she braided her hair and piled it into a knot at the base of her skull. After crying most of the night she had fallen asleep in Lin's bed as the weasel spirit held her close. Realizing that Lin was not going to leave her in peace to mope, Chihiro got up and caught a glance of herself in the mirror. Her eyes were red rimmed and swollen, despite the full night's sleep. It was going to be a long day.

"If you aren't going to go practice this morning then I'm going to put you on some tough chores, got it?" If she needed a new purpose to stay here contently, then Lin would give it to her. Secretly though the weasel spirit was hoping that the threat of hard work would get Chihiro to go practice. It felt like a substantial waste to give up after all that she had done to learn the dance and improve. Shaking her head yes in acceptance, Chihiro followed Lin up to the big tubs. Without saying a word she set to work on scrubbing the largest tub as Lin looked on with worried eyes. For Chihiro to willingly get into the big tub to scrub, there had to be some serious damage done. Keeping an eye on her, Lin started to work on the area surrounding the tub. She knew they would talk when she was ready to and so they worked in comfortable silence. They were halfway through with the cleaning when Yui stormed in with a bath token in hand. Shoving the token on the hooked string, she poured the cold bath water right onto Chihiro who hadn't looked up from her spot in the tub. Coughing loudly, she clambered out of the tub and rolled down the side to the floor.

"What the hell," she asked with a frown. Chihiro was soaked and frankly not in the mood to put up with any shenanigans right now. Today was hard enough without any additional challenges.

"Are you really going to lie down and give up?"

"He said I wasn't good enough."

"And you are going to let that stop you? After all you have put in," Yui asked as she stared at her. Chihiro couldn't meet her eyes as she felt the irony in her words. She didn't want to give up, it wasn't in her nature, but it was so hard not to feel discouraged.

"Get up and come with me."

"Where are you taking her," Lin intercepted as Yui moved aggressively towards the girl. Glaring at the protective weasel spirit, the crane fluffed her feathers irately.

"We are going back to the shrine and we are going to prove that dragon wrong if it's the last thing I do." Finally looking up at Yui, Chihiro saw the fire in her eyes. She didn't know what was said after she had left, but Haku had made a powerful opponent when he stood against her last night. Lin watched as the crane moved around her and put both wing tips on Chihiro's shoulders before staring down into her face. "I believe in you Chihiro. I know you can do this and I'm not going to let you give up on yourself. Now get up off your ass and come with me or I'll drag you there by force."

Holding her head high, Chihiro looked back at her evenly. She had come this far and she wasn't ready to give up. Yui's affirmation helped light her spark of determination again and the change reflected in her eyes.

"Let's do this."

"Oh I got to see this," Lin remarked excitedly as Chihiro stood up and faced Yui. Abandoning their task, the girls set off towards the shrine. Together they were going to find a way to make the dragon bend.

"Now I want you to focus on calling to Haku as you perform the dance," Yui said as she pulled a bucket of water out of her well. Looking at the crane with a cocked head, Chihiro questioned her.

"What about the relics?"

"No need for them. We are going to prove him wrong without relying on the relics." Chihiro opened her mouth to question her logic, but closed it upon seeing the glint in her eye. Something about it reminded her of the twinkle in Okita's eyes when he was determined to accomplish something. She was not someone to trifle with. Lin stood at the back of the room leaning against the wall, watching intently as Yui lifted the bucket into her arms and approached Chihiro. "Don't be alarmed by what I'm about to do."

Before Chihiro could answer, Yui dumped the bucket of water against her and felt a pressure in her mind as she had the other day. Images of seeing herself from the floor flashed before her eyes as the water collected itself into a puddle around her feet.

"How did you get to Haku's river," Chihiro asked both alarmed and surprised as she felt the instant connection. He had made it seem like it was a big secret where water spirits kept their essence, yet here Yui was, handling some of his with ease. Pouring another bucket at her feet, Yui stood back to look at her.

"All water is connected. When I made my home here, my essence took refuge in the well water that bubbles up from a spring tied to Haku's river. I simply asked his river if it would like to see you again and it was happy to comply with my demands to not tell its master." The water bubbled happily as it laid at her feet. Standing back as well, Yui gave a short nod for her to begin.

"Are you sure-"

"Trust me Chihiro. Focus in on Haku and do the dance." Nodding her head in understanding, Chihiro took a deep breath to focus her mind as she assumed the opening stance. It felt different already, the water present in her mind listening in to the process. Taking the first step, she felt the air charge with magic and the water at her feet move with her. Calling out to Haku, Chihiro continued forward with the dance. The room around her was silent in such a manner that she felt like she was in a private sound bubble. Even the sounds of Lin and Yui's breathing were absent. Within a few movements, she saw the water at her feet moving into the air in tendrils. As her hands continued their flow, Haku's water responded beneath her fingertips, rippling in complex patterns within the air. She was so focused on the dance and the water's response that she didn't even notice the matching looks of confusion and horror on Yui and Lin's faces.

The pressure in her mind had only a moment to warn her before Haku burst into the room. Reaching out a hand, he yanked his water back from her, leaving Chihiro stricken. All of the magic in the room had been pulled into his grasp as he dispelled his water back into the ground towards its main source. The air felt as if it had been torn from her lungs as the magic left her and she found herself pounding her chest trying to force breath into unopen lungs. Panic squeezed her as she found Haku's sad distracted eyes staring harshly at the retreating water rather than at her emergent state.

"Stop Haku! She can't breathe," Yui shouted as she rushed forward towards Chihiro. As he snapped his hold on the withering remnants of magic, Chihiro fell to her knees gasping air in grateful gasps. Yui wrapped her wings around her shaking shoulders and glared back at him. "What the hell was that?!"

Haku didn't meet their eyes as he stared down at the floor, chest slightly heaving from running to get there. The thud of Chihiro's body hitting the floor didn't surprise him. Feeling a pulse in her throat, Yui was reassured that her charge was not going to die at that instant. Snatching Chihiro up into his arms, Haku fled. Racing after him, Lin and Yui saw him take off towards the top of the bathhouse. Grabbing Lin, Yui took flight after him. Landing moments later, they found him tucking Chihiro into her bed as if she were a fragile doll. Lin and Yui stared at Haku as his eyes darted about trying to figure out an excuse. "Care to explain all of that?"

"Not really," Haku admitted honestly. Sitting in a defensive stance between the girls and Chihiro, Haku absentmindedly ran his fingers over the covers making sure she was secure in the bed.

"She shouldn't have been able to manipulate your water like that," Lin spoke softly as her mind tried to figure out the puzzle of what had just happened. Even the most spiritual of humans couldn't manipulate an element, which meant that Chihiro couldn't be completely human. However her body reeked of human and she had showed no outside qualities of anything extraordinary.

"You son a bitch," Yui swore at him, "You bound to her didn't you?"

"If they were bound we would be able to smell him in her," Lin commented.

"Not if the binding is incomplete. What did you do, Haku," Yui asked with a voice full of horror.

"We aren't discussing this. Chihiro will be fine after a little nap and everything will be back to normal. I will do the ceremony with her next week for the festival and no one will be none the wiser."

"And how exactly are you planning on doing that?"

"I am going to complete the dance using my magic and rebounding it off of the relics. I can't do the ceremony with her straight out like you asked last night or I'll risk opening the charm I used to bind the mating bond magic."

"For kami's sake Haku, you have to tell her! She can't just go walking around as your fiancé and not even know it," Lin shouted in outrage.

"And what am I supposed to tell her, huh? Hi Chihiro, nice of you to wake up. I kind of gave you part of my soul a while back and started the marriage process without your permission.-" The sound of a loud knock on the door interrupted him. Opening it, the foreman took a quick glance at the tense occupants glaring back at him.

"Hana-sama of Deer Run River has arrived." Simultaneously, all three spirits groaned in irritation. If there was one thing everyone at the bathhouse could agree on, it would be their general dislike of the spirit in question. Lin in particular had a short fuse when it came to the beautiful koi spirit. "She is requesting your presence immediately, Master Haku. It seems her caravan was attacked on its journey here and she is in quite the state."

"I will be right there, foreman. See to it that she is attended to in the meantime." Bowing his acknowledgement, the frog closed the door and hurried away. Silence filled the air as the crane and weasel stared at Haku, and he deftly tried to hide his discomfort under their gaze. It felt unnatural to expose so much after hiding everything for so long, and he wasn't about to give way now.

"Is there a way to fix this? Have you tried pulling your essence out of her," Lin asked as she sat down on the bench in front of the vanity. Her mind was racing trying to put together the whole situation. The risks were piling up and she was just beginning to see how bad this could be. The master of the Eastern Bathhouse had part of his essence walking around in a fragile human that could be easily killed at any moment. She was a weakness to him and an easy target for any of the Tainted to go after no matter which world she was in. Chihiro's death would incapacitate Haku for kami knows how long and leave the bathhouse near defenseless to attack. In the worst case scenario, her death could cause him to slip into the darkness that they had all been fighting and make him a powerful adversary. There was so many things that could go wrong…

"If her heart had still been beating when I put in my essence then I might have had a better shot at removing it, but since I used it to spark her life force again..." Haku looked uneasily back at Chihiro as if recalling a terrible memory. Something had happened between them years ago that bound the red string of fate around them, but he wasn't ready to share it. Running his hand through her hair to reassure himself of the present and keep himself from getting swept away into the past, he continued speaking. "I tried to remove it before her first departure from the Spirit World, but was unsuccessful. It seems that the part I gave her has bound itself to her heart and lungs. Chihiro is lucky that I cast the blocking charm before it corrupted anything else. She is still essentially human in this state."

"Why the lungs? I mean the heart makes sense since that's where your essence would bind for the mating process, but-"

"The point of entry," Yui interrupted already picturing it all. If it were a rash decision at a life or death moment, he would have forced his essence into her the fastest way possible. "Rather than trying to push it through the muscle, bone, and sinew protecting the heart, it is faster to send it into her lungs and latch onto the heart from there." Haku nodded his head in silent admission. When he had forcefully sent his water back underground earlier, the command had not been well directed in its haste. The part of him that was partially bound within her had unexpectedly responded from the surge of magic between them, causing her body to seize against the charm and throw her into unconsciousness. Luckily, the guard was still holding and their flirting limbo with the boundaries could continue.

"Seems like a simple solution to me. Beg her to forgive you for hiding all of this, get on your knees, and ask her to marry you. Complete the mating ceremony and then if the Capital hasn't killed all of us for breaking the rules by that point, we can worry about getting enough power together to convert her into a spirit," Lin stated as if it were the most apparent thing in the world. Even Yui had to admit that it seemed a solid plan, but there was a strong likelihood that both Chihiro and Haku would be executed by the Capital. Technically both of their lives were forfeit the moment that Haku began the mating bond with her, but with the charm in place no one should be able to figure it out unless something distinctly nonhuman happens again or he openly admits it. It should be easy to continue concealing it if they play their cards right.

"We will do nothing for now," Yui interrupted Lin as she gave a hard look at Haku. She understood now why he had acted the way that he had. It is no wonder he didn't want his other half near the dangerous patients of the infirmary and here she had been encouraging her to go visit the most dangerous ward of all. Mentally she shivered at the severity and risk of her mistake. If something had gone wrong…shaking her head to rid herself of the thought, Yui continued. "I agree with your decision to hide this from her for now. There is a strong likelihood that some members of the Elite will come from the Capital to visit for the festival and now is not the time to be playing with fire. We can discuss the situation and come up with a plan after the festival."

Lin opened her mouth to protest, but was cut off by the sound of shrieking from several floors below. Simultaneously, all three spirits cursed the name of the spirit who would be one of the many staying with them until after the festival. Giving them a curt bow, Haku swept out of the room towards the elevator. The flower of Deep Run River had arrived.


	24. Chapter 23

I am happy to post this chapter a day early and let you guys know the next update will probably be August 28th since I'm going out of town to visit family. In regards to the poll you are 9 out of 20. Just as a reminder, the poll will end on the same day as the last chapter of this arc whether or not you guys meet the quota. That deadline is coming up in probably around 8-10 chapters depending on how I flush out the the remaining events of the arc.

pikaree1-There are some characters coming up that are designed for you to love to hate them... *launches the first grenade of a chapter with maniacal laughter and hides in barricaded house*

Thanks for the ongoing support, reviews, messages, follows, favorites, etc. You guys are the best. To me, you guys are like the mushrooms you eat for a boost in the Mario games.

Now time to go take a nap on the beach and hope the tide doesn't come in high enough to reach my makeshift camp.

 **Chapter 23:**

Haku stopped outside the door to the bathhouse's finest quarters to take a deep breath and collect himself. Loud voices could be heard whining and complaining over the sounds of splashing and running water. He already knew the moment he entered into this room, there would no longer be a moment of peace for him within the bathhouse. Every step from here on out would be watched, judged, and guided by the actions of the powerful guests arriving. Manipulating them into maintaining peaceful relations and keeping Chihiro off their radars would become his top priorities until after the resolution of the festival. Knocking lightly on the door, Haku took another deep breath before sliding it open and entering into the chaos.

Flower of the Deep Run River, or Hana-sama as most called her, was as beautiful as her name implied. Considered a prized jewel of the Eastern Wetlands, the koi spirit was of a rare pure silver coloring with large purple eyes. Hana appeared fragile and meek when traveling about in her palanquin, but anyone who heard her speak knew that she had a sharp tongue and an arrogant attitude to match it. If she were not the beloved daughter of the Deep Run River spirit, then Haku might have considered forbidding her from ever coming within ten kilometers of the bathhouse. However, since her father ruled the prominent Lotus bathhouse near the border between the Wetlands and the frigid North, it was important that he kept in the old spirit's good graces if he wanted the shipments of expensive Northern salts to continue.

"Kohaku-san," Hana greeted warmly from a cushion in the center of the room. If it were not for the luxurious eighteen layers of silk kimono she was wearing and the heavy jewels hanging off her fins she might have considered standing up to greet him. Instead she bowed her jeweled head in his direction as he stepped into the water and shut the door. The floor was already covered in a substantial amount of water, courtesy of the goldfish maids moving about the room. From her previous visits, Haku already knew that she would not stand, sit or walk on any surface that did not have at least two inches of water on it. As a water purist, Hana believed in the superiority of water spirits above all others and that making contact with non-water created objects or the dry Earth itself would taint her. "You're late."

"I was in a meeting at the time of your arrival, but I came as quickly as I could. It is nice to see you are unharmed and looking well," Haku commented neutrally.

"I am only here now by the grace of the water gods," she moaned pitifully as she put a fin to her head dramatically, "Several of my maids were corrupted in the attack, most of my luggage was burned, and I even had to use my magic to keep from touching filth when the palanquin tipped!" Haku kept himself from rolling his eyes as he mentally mocked her. Of course having to use her magic suddenly would be an inconvenience when she usually has servants to perform it for her. It shouldn't surprise him that the loss of material goods and her seat looking down on everyone bothers her more than the death of her people.

"I am sorry for your loss, Hana-sama. There are several wonderful merchants on the other side of the river that would be happy to assist you in rectifying the situation-"

"All of my clothes were hand woven by master artisans in the Capital and created from silk spun from the water nymphs residing in Lake Biwa. Do you really think your measly market would carry such quality?" Haku grimaced out a smile in response.

"You will find that there are several vendors that carry imports from the Capital, though I'm honestly not sure if they are water-made or not." She scoffed at him and rolled her eyes to look at some of her maids scurrying about around them. Changing directions, Hana sweetened her tone and pouted at him.

"I will write a letter to my father requesting he have some things air delivered. Perhaps in the meantime, you would consider creating something for me to wear using your water? I'll be the envy of all the Wetlands in even the simplest garment of your creation."

"Sadly, I lack any skill in creating clothes. Besides princess, isn't it a time consuming process? Wouldn't you rather I spent all of that time being with you instead," Haku flirted. In the back of his mind, he was gagging at the thought, but prospective marriage partners were all the same. They wanted time and opportunity, and it was easy to use either as a sufficient bargaining chip to get his way. He considered the real misfortune of the festival to be how many of them flocked to the area to try and woo him, only to find themselves competing amongst each other instead. Smiling widely at him, she cooed at him with a flirtatious smile.

"Of course that would be more worthwhile. I'm surprised it has taken you so long to come visit us at the Lotus. My father has been expecting you for quite some time," Hana hinted openly. Haku had indeed heard of the well-known custom among spirits not born from the Capital's elemental processes that she was implying of. Prospective mates would ask their suitor's birth parents for permission to bind with their child before approaching the intended with the engagement proposal. Since he did not have parents and was born of the elemental processes, there was luckily no one to throw him under the bus per say, but that only protected him so far. Any misconstrued late night visits that called a powerful spirit's virtue into question could toss him into very dangerous waters. Society would expect them to marry immediately in such a situation. Obviously he could not, not given his relationship with Chihiro, and therefore the best policy was simply always having someone that he trusted with him. Usually that person would be Zeniba, but with the issues back at Swamp Bottom, kami knows if she was going to be able to make it back in time. He would have to come up with an alternative solution quickly. Knowing exactly what she was implying, Haku wondered what exactly Hana had been reporting back to her father after each biannual visit that would make him expect a proposal from him.

"Things here have been quite busy with the war. I don't suspect I'll get a chance to leave the bathhouse until there is some sort of resolution. Has the Lotus not been slammed with wounded soldiers as well?"

"I wouldn't know. I never step fin below the third level of the bathhouse. The servants and workers can manage things under my father's guidance and I don't want to risk coming into contact with any of the wounded."

"Well you are more than welcome to stay up here if that's what you desire. Our wounded are kept in the basement so you should be fine to go about as you see fit as long as you avoid going down there."

"What will you do about the attack? If the roads aren't safe, shouldn't you warn anyone else who is making their way here?"

"I will see that a warning is sent off to all of our guests scheduled to arrive between now and the end of the festival. Perhaps the eel coalition that protects the other side of the river would be willing to protect some of the roads if I offer to extend my barrier to cover the town." Grabbing his hand, Hana held it to her cheek and looked up at him. The sight of her beauty would have melted many a man, but Haku could not help finding her dim in comparison to the human girl sleeping up in his flat. There had always been rumors floating around, probably at her behest, that he favored her as a potential bride, but nothing could be farther from it. He knew her father as an important supplier and that the majority of her relatives held powerful positions in the Capital. That information alone reminded him that he needed to keep her happy, lest she call for familial assistance and complicate the situation further.

"You have such a big heart, Kohaku, but please don't do anything that will take away from our time together. A few weak spirits can be sacrificed for our happiness. They are going to become collateral damage in the war anyways," she said slowly as she batted her eyelashes at him.

"It is for the safety of all, not the benefit of a few," Haku replied as he slowly took his hand away. Retreating towards the door, he gave her a crisp bow. "Rest well, Hana-sama."

Chihiro felt a cool rag being dabbed across her forehead as she started to come to. Opening her eyes, she was surprised to see the familiar ceiling of her room above her as the rag descended upon her forehead again. Glancing towards the source, she saw Haku frowning gently at her from his seat beside her. The tension radiating off of him reminded her of the last time they fought.

"What am I doing here," she croaked out as she realized how dry and cracked her throat was. Helping her to sit up and handing her a glass of water, Haku removed the rag and watched her.

"You passed out after playing around with magic irresponsibly. I can't believe Yui encouraged you to do something so dangerous." Chihiro dropped her eyes to the bedspread as she felt a flush of embarrassment redden her cheeks. The need to defend her actions and that of her mentor's was strong.

"You came though…" Haku looked at her as if she were crazy, "You came when I danced." Gritting his teeth, Haku stood up from her side and paced to the window. Watching her lying in the bed unmoving after she should have woken up hours ago had unnerved him. He had even grabbed a rag and a bucket of water to dampen her brow as an excuse to keep touching her and reassuring himself that she wasn't gone. Haku kept listening to her heart beat and feeling out the strength of the charm to make sure it was holding.

"You can't mess around with someone's essence like that Chihiro. It's dangerous. If I hadn't pulled it away from you, the water might have tried to drown you. The reason you use the relics in the ceremony is to amplify the magic and protect yourself from it. This isn't some sort of game we are playing."

"Your water would never drown me," she balked at the notion. Twisting around to face her, he snapped.

"Don't delude yourself into thinking it won't consume you! All water will try to take what it wants and trust me when I say my water wants you! You are never safe near it. In fact, it would probably be better if I found someone else to do the cleansing ceremony with so I won't have to worry about killing them in the process."

"I don't get you Haku," Chihiro threw out like an accusation, "You said I wasn't good enough, but you still came. You say that you won't have a relationship with me, but your soul water whatever it is wants me. Why do you have to be a handbasket of contrasts?" Haku stilled as he realized what she might have heard from his argument with the Yui the other night. Part of him wanted to smack the palm of his hand into his forehead. Was anything ever going to be simple when it came to her? Opening his mouth to stop her tirade, she silenced him with a hand. "No, I'm not finished yet. You obviously got a lot going on and don't want to tell me about it. That's fine. I get that you are conflicted about your feelings with me. I understand. But taking the ceremony away from me after I've worked so damn hard to get this far, is just plain cruel."

"Your efforts currently aren't enough to get by with this-"

"Then I'll work harder. Please Haku, don't take this away from me. I still got a week to fix this." Haku paused to give the impression that he was considering her plea. His anger had melted away to shame when he realized that she had heard him speaking ill of her to Yui. His vile words had been in effort to derail the crane's efforts, and had not been for her ears to hear, let alone hurt her. Haku had hoped to guide her into spending more time at the shrine than the bathhouse going forward, and using the festival as a motive seemed reasonable enough. If she were spending the majority of her time there or moved over there for the time being it was less likely that the marriage candidates and other unusual guests would take notice of her. She would be safer. Making it sound like a concession, Haku gathered the rag and bowl as he spoke.

"You have to practice more Chihiro. In fact, you should probably tell Lin that you are too busy to assist her and spend from dusk till dawn at the shrine until the festival." She shook her head yes in agreement, but felt a small frown tug at her lips. Even though he was agreeing, something about it didn't feel right to her. Throwing the covers off, she slid her legs to the side of the bed and froze as her head spun around her. Her throat ached like a parched dessert despite the glass of water she drank and her lungs felt not much better.

"I will let her know. Thank you, Haku," Chihiro said as she ran a hand through her hair. Haku watched her carefully from the door, wondering if something was wrong. There were other affairs he needed to attend to, but he wouldn't leave until he was sure she was fine. After seeing her relieved smile, he started to walk away. "Why does it seem like we are always fighting? I just want to be with you."

Her whispered words nearly brought him to a halt, but he forced his feet to keep moving. If she could have seen his face rather than his straight back, she would have seen the sad, pained expression marring his features. The weight of the world heaved upon his shoulders.

Gingerly, Chihiro got to her feet beside the bed and wondered how long she had slept. The moon seemed fairly high in the night sky so it was a safe guess to say that she was beyond lunchtime. Oddly enough, she didn't feel hungry, just a strange sensation of emptiness as if there was something she was missing. Making her way slowly towards the living area, Chihiro grabbed a cup of tea and downed it. Nothing seemed to ease the feeling inside of her and even breathing seemed a slightly uncomfortable task. Recalling the moistened air of the infirmary, Chihiro made her way down into the basement.

Hikaru had been concerned after Chihiro's abrupt departure from Okita's party the night before, but thought it wiser to wait for her to come to him than chase after her. After returning to the infirmary that night, he had slept poorly, tossing and turning as he listened to the wretched coughing of the salamander spirit across the room. Surely someone needed to put that creature out of its misery and he knew that several of the others were considering doing it that favor. Even Hikaru was starting to consider asking Yui to move the salamander to hospice for the safety of all present, even if the other nurses insisted that he was on the up and up. Grasping onto a ledge in the woodwork above his bed, he slowly lifted his sweating body upward. He felt anxious that Chihiro had not come down this morning and that had led him to pacing unproductively for quite some time. Using the tension to work out despite the pain of his healing wound brought him some relief.

When the door opened and Chihiro slipped through, Hikaru left out a breath of relief and dropped down to the floor. Typically when she entered, her eyes would scan the room eagerly as if seeking him out and she would greet him with a smile before walking over. However this time, her eyes remained trained to the floor and her chest rose heavily as she breathed deeply repetitively. Walking over, he greeted her with a deep crisp bow.

"Good afternoon, Chihiro. How are you faring this afternoon?" Looking up at him with a half attempted smile, she returned his bow.

"I'm doing alright. Never really noticed how nice the air was down here," she commented as she recovered right before his eyes. The gleam came back to her eyes and she seemed to be coming back to normal.

"You left the party so quickly that I didn't have a chance to congratulate you on that wonderful performance. You will do fantastic at the festival next week." Hikaru's words were slightly tuned out by the sound of voices approaching the infirmary doors.

"Thanks Hikaru, but I still have a lot of work to do," Chihiro said absentmindedly as the infirmary doors swung open. Yui and Lin froze at the sight of Chihiro standing beside Hikaru in the infirmary. The matron of the ward swung into action first, hurrying to hook her arm around Chihiro's and start pulling her towards the entrance.

"Chihiro, we need to talk." Allowing the crane to pull her out of the infirmary, she was surprised when she continued forward as if to drag her through the rest of the maze back up to the upper levels of the bathhouse. Confused by the happenings, Hikaru trailed them out of the infirmary. Planting her feet to halt their movement before entering the maze, Chihiro looked up at Yui in confusion.

"What's the matter?" Whirling around to face the girl, Yui adjusted her feathers and tried to find an easy way to explain the situation to her.

"I need you to stop coming to the infirmary when you are alone. From now on, you need to always have Lin or I with you."

"Why," Chihiro cried out in outrage. The infirmary was her safe area to escape to when she needed time alone. Why would Yui require she have an escort? Hikaru silently approached behind Lin's position and listened in.

"It's not safe for you there and this doesn't just go for the infirmary either. There are some very dangerous spirits coming in as guests and I don't want you getting pulled into their dramatics. We," Yui motioned to herself and Lin, "have agreed to work together so there is always one of us to keep you safe, but we will need your cooperation to do so. Don't wander off alone." Hikaru watched the gentle lines of Chihiro's face harden under worry. He could tell that she wanted to rebel against the restriction, but understood that there was something going on bigger than herself. Part of his heart ached in concern and for the loss of her smile. If she was no longer allowed in the infirmary then she wouldn't be able to visit him. More importantly though, it sounded like Chihiro was going to be in danger and that set every hair on his body on attention. There had to be something he could do.

"I wasn't alone actually, Hikaru was with me. Also I was about to come to find both of you anyways. Haku threatened to take away the ceremony from me if I didn't improve so I would like to ask off from work to spend my time at the shrine with Yui." Chihiro did not notice the sighs of relief that escaped both Lin and Yui simultaneously at her request, but it did not get past Hikaru.

"Request granted. From now on, don't worry about helping me out. I will seek you out if I need you," Lin stated as she placed her hands on her hips confidently. She could already tell that Lin had too much pride to walk all the way to the shrine to ask for assistance on anything, but knowledge that her friend wouldn't exactly abandon her reassured her that they would find some way to see each other regularly. "I also need a favor from you."

"What," Chihiro asked skeptically. She had practically become Lin's assistant from the last favor the weasel spirit had asked of her. Surely nothing she asked for could be much worse?

"I need you to carry that bag I made you everywhere you go starting today. In fact, we should go fetch it now."

"I'll teach her how to put her hair up properly as well using those pins you mentioned. Go grab the stuff from her room and I'll you both back at the shrine," Yui added as Lin began walking with Chihiro through the maze. Heading back towards the infirmary, Yui was tailed by Hikaru who tried to keep up with her.

"Watari-san, please allow me to help in Chihiro's protection. I can protect her from the other guests coming in and redirect any suspicion on her origins." Glancing at him as they reached the infirmary, Yui finally understood the stoic fox spirit. There was almost a sense of desperation in his voice as he spoke to her.

"What makes you think you are strong enough to protect her? You who doesn't remember what magic you hold," Yui scoffed as she held the door open and motioned for him to return inside. He held his ground and challenged her.

"I might not remember now, but I am still stronger than you think. Please allow me to go with you to the shrine."

"Absolutely not. Your wound hasn't even finished healing completely yet and you could tear it open again easily. You need to stay in the infirmary for now."

"I'm willing to make a contract to protect her," Hikaru stated as if the words he spoke were not monumental in meaning. The crane spirit frowned gently at him and closed the door to the infirmary. She didn't want the others to hear what they were about to say.

"Are you telling me that you love her? That you are willing to throw away your life to stay beside her?"

"Yes," he replied smoothly. There was a hint of a pink blush at the base of his ears, but there was no other outward signs of emotion. Yui rubbed the tip of her wing to her forehead as if the news was bringing on a headache.

"You cannot bind to her as your mate and convert her, you know this right?" Though she was omitting the fact that it was because the process had already been started by Haku, the statement was still true. There had to be a way of warning him off without revealing Haku's position.

"I would not risk her life that way. Everyone knows that the Capital tortures and executes any humans or spirits that break those laws. The contract would be a simple one of protection. I would stay by her side, no matter which of the worlds she remains in, and keep her safe. If she did come to return my feelings, then I would marry her the human way."

"And if I told you that it wouldn't be possible for her to return your feelings because she was in love with another?" There was a moment of silence as Hikaru considered this outcome.

"My choice would still be the same. I have no claim upon her heart, unless of course she gives it to me upon her own free will. Then I would cherish it like the precious treasure it is."

"Look, Hikaru," Yui emphasized the familiarity though she could see him grit his teeth at her, "I don't know how to make this any more blunt. There is someone else in her life that has staked a claim in her protection and her love. If he heard you were considering making a contract with her, he would kill you where you stand. Hell, he might just kill you for being so close with her."

"It is my choice to make this offer to her and I will take on any repercussions that my actions bring." Yui scoffed at him and looked at him incredulously. They had saved his life only for him to throw it away. The kitsune was dead set on his decision from what she could tell. There was little more she could do to protect him from the wrath of the dragon. She could only hope that Haku might consider banishing him instead of sinking his teeth into his jugular. A moment of silence passed as she stared at him, weighing out hope that he might reconsider. "How soon can I leave the infirmary?

"Your wounds should be finished healing in three days if you continue at the pace you have set. After that, there will be no reason to continue holding you here. Though you might consider how useless you will be in protecting her if you can't recover your magic," Yui jabbed as she swept into the infirmary. Taking her advice with a short bow, Hikaru let the dark wood infirmary door swing shut behind him.


	25. Chapter 24

Sorry about the delay in posting. Family time lasted a lot longer than expected and then I sort of saved a newborn kitten from euthanization. So now I got this 2 day old cat that needs bottle feeding every 3 hours around the clock meaning I'm not sleeping much and I still got my classes and full time job. This chapter is short, but the next chapter will be significantly longer. Please let me know if anyone would like to draw a cover image for this story. I have 0 skills in any sort of art making and it seems lame to borrow an image from the internet. Poll is at 10 out of 20 votes. If it helps you decide which one to vote for i have an entire plot arc written for the Skip Beat Western(which means writing occurs faster since I know where I'm going and generally how to get there), and I have actually written out eight long chapters of Time Forgotten. As usual, thanks and love to you my readers.

I hope to update on September 5th, but with the listed three factors above (cat,work,class) I'm not quite sure when I'm going to find time to write. It's not that I have writer's block either, I just simply don't have enough time to immerse myself mentally in my writing. So hope for Monday and if nothing is posted by midnight then you can presume the update will occur sometime before or on Sunday September 11.

 **Chapter 24:**

Chihiro fidgeted uncomfortably as she stood beside Lin amongst the bathhouse workers. It felt strange to have her hair up in such a peculiar manner, but she already knew that that was the way things had to be until after the festival. Yui had spent the afternoon wasting precious practice time teaching her how to put her hair up around the hair pins that Haku had given her and reminding her that she could not wear them any time that she was practicing. By hiding them deep within coils of her hair, it kept the pins out of sight and in place to work if necessary. She found it ironic that doing her hair up in such a manner made it look as if she had ears, an unexpected bonus to her cover story as Lin's sister in town to visit for the festival. The nervous energy between Yui and Lin as they hovered around her repeating warnings to stay close and keep her nose to the floor was stifling. Once they entered the main room after the bathhouse had closed for the night, Chihiro realized that they weren't the only ones on edge. Many of the spirits waiting for the staff meeting were anxious and the smell of confusion was thick in the air. Haku briskly entered into the rumbling mess and took his place at the front of the room.

"If I could have everyone's attentions please," he started and the room fell silent instantly in anticipation of his words. Letting his eyes gaze around the room at his staff, Haku felt himself drawn towards the calm brown eyes of Chihiro. In a place full of scared spirits, she stood calm and ready for what he had to say. "I'm sorry to call this meeting on such short notice. I know everyone is busy preparing for the festival, so I won't take up much of your time. First things first, as you may have noticed many of our guests that will be staying through the festival are beginning to arrive. Many of them have heard rumors that there is a human living here in the bathhouse. There is no such human within these premises and there has been no human here since the departure of Sen."

Several of the spirits turned to look at Chihiro with questioning eyes. Of course she was a human what was he talking about? Seeing their disbelief, Haku decided to clarify his point before continuing.

"This is for Chihiro's safety as well as the sanctity of the bathhouse. Trust me in this decision and make sure you keep your mouths shut about her identity. Chihiro is now Lin's younger sister who has been staying with us for the past few weeks and will continue to stay through the remainder of the festival. Am I clear?"

An anonymous murmur of agreements spread throughout the crowd. Most of the staff had come to love the hardworking human girl in her youth, and appreciated her assistance now as a woman. Even those who didn't particularly care for her didn't consider outing her. The bathhouse staff was a family and family protects its own. A small bubble of warmth spread across Chihiro's chest as she saw the looks of solid determination on many of her coworkers' faces. Even if she really didn't belong in the spirit world, they cared for her deeply. It made Chihiro feel a sense of love and belonging that she had never felt before from a group of people.

The moment was interrupted as the door to the room swung open quickly and slammed against the wood frame beside it. Four large crab spirits entered in carrying a metal gilded palanquin atop their shoulders. As many of the spirits in the room openly frowned towards the unwanted intruder, Haku held back a sigh. Splitting the crowd, the palanquin came forward and water began spreading itself into puddle beside him. As it slid to a stop in front of him, the curtain slid open and a delicate fin protruded requesting acceptance. As Haku took her fin with a small graceful bow, Hana glided off of her cushion in her full glory onto the puddle of water beside him.

"My maids informed me that you were having a staff meeting to inform them about the changes in security. I thought I would stop by and lend my support," she said silkily as she moved her hand to rest against his forearm. The crabs lowered the palanquin to the ground in a place off to the side and kneeled with their heads to the ground waiting for her command.

"You have remarkable timing. We were just about to discuss that." Grinning smugly at him, she squeezed his arm a little tighter.

"You'll find that I'm wonderful in many ways Kohaku-sama." Turning his attention back to the crowd, he could smell the unease in the air as poignant as that of a rotting corpse. Part of him wanted to remind them all of their manners towards guests, but he understood their fear. Hana was a piece of work and her presence in the bathhouse would make many of their lives living hell, but keeping her distracted and happy meant he wouldn't have to worry about her sending for her family. Keeping his eyes averted from Chihiro's he could feel her stare on him like a fire licking down his side.

"As many of you know, this is our guest Hana-sama. Her caravan was attacked this morning on her journey here. In order to provide better protection to the travelers coming in for the festival, I have made an agreement with the eels to expand the barrier to cover the other side of the river temporarily. In exchange, they will protect several of the roads so that our guests may arrive safely. With the barrier extension, there is a strong likelihood that the alarm will go off more frequently. Please be aware that the issues will most likely be on the other side of the river and not actual attacks on the bathhouse. The alarm system has been altered to reflect this. If the red lights continue flashing for longer than three minutes, then the situation is across the river. If the white lights activate, execute the protocols for defending the bathhouse."

An eruption of worried whispers swept through the crowd at his words. Leaning over slyly towards Lin, Chihiro asked her for a better explanation of who was that standing next to Haku. Frowning at the koi fish with unmasked hatred, Lin replied.

"That would be Hana of Deep Run River. If you have an inch of self-preservation within you, you will steer clear of her. Trust me when I say that you do not want to get involved with that fish." Cocking an eyebrow at Lin's response, Chihiro wondered what had happened to cause such an intense response in the normally laid back weasel.

"If she's so dangerous, then why is Haku letting her hold onto him?"

"Cause the dragon is a fool…in more ways than one." Chihiro quirked a levying glance towards Lin. Rolling her eyes, Lin ignored her inquisitive look. She wanted more information, but the weasel didn't seem to want to talk about it.

"She is very beautiful," Chihiro murmured as she admired the silver glean of her scales. Even from her spot in the back of the crowd, Chihiro could see every graceful movement the koi fish made. Her heart panged painfully against her chest at the way Haku smiled down at the beautiful fish holding onto his arm. As much as she hated to admit it, they looked good together. It made her feel all the more empty inside. She knew that she could never look like that or stand beside him as his equal in the spirit world, but it still hurt to see him looking at another woman in that manner. Had he not said that they shared mutual feelings? Why would he let this woman touch him in such a familiar manner? She knew she was supposed to be trying to move on, but that didn't mean the sight didn't hurt. He didn't seem to be having any trouble it seemed. Perhaps he had just been pulling her along so that she would stay obediently while he tried to find a permanent solution to safely send her back. Turning her back on the stage in hopes that her heart would stop aching, Chihiro decided to head to the infirmary. Grasping her arm and yanking her back, Lin stopped her.

"Don't go running off. It's not safe."

"I'm going to visit Hikaru in the infirmary."

"Hikaru no longer requires your visits Chihiro," Yui said as she walked up from behind and took the other side of her, "and you know I asked you to not go to the infirmary again." Frowning at the intervention, she let her eyes scald the floor. A giggle that sounded like a wind chime swept the room and it only took a moment to realize it was from Hana. It looked as if Haku had whispered something into her ear hole and her laughter could not be contained to a small chuckle.

"Let's go steal some meat buns from the kitchen and head back to my room. Watari-san will you let me know what is said for the rest of the meeting?" Yui nodded her head and the two of them walked off much to Chihiro's relief. Looking back at Haku, Yui frowned as she recalled the expression on Chihiro's face before she walked off. She needed to give him a warning or he was going to risk a lot more than he bargained for.

Yui bided her time as she waited for Haku to emerge from the emptying meeting hall. After the palanquin had left in a flurry of water, muscular crab, and bright silk clothes, the staff had visibly relaxed as they seeped back into the bathhouse woodworks. Tapping her toes impatiently, she spotted her target as he tried to quickly slip away. Closing the distance, she set pace to stay beside him as they began walking towards his office.

"I guess you have something to say," Haku commented as he noticed her steely gaze staring forward.

"It won't take long. I know you have other things you need to take care of." Grunting in response, they got into the elevator and rode in silence to Haku's flat. Stepping into the office, Haku leaned against his desk and faced her.

"Lin and I have made arrangements to have one of us with Chihiro at all times. I expect that you will be keeping an eye on her every night?"

"There is a spell in place on the flat. If anyone tries to enter after we have gone to bed, I will be woken."

"Might want to change that to also notify you if she tries to leave," Yui warned. She wasn't ready to out Chihiro's visits to the infirmary yet, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

"Will do. Anything else?"

"Whatever game you are planning on playing with Hana and the other marriage candidates, I'd suggest you reconsider. Women's feelings aren't something to be trifled with."

"I'm not promising those women anything. They act upon their own interpretations of my actions."

"Yes, but you aren't explaining the situation to Chihiro either. She could easily be hurt by the misunderstandings you are creating."

"Last I checked Chihiro is fairly angry at me already and swore to spend her time at the shrine practicing. She should be fine until the festival is over and the majority of the danger is out of the way." Yui's quiet sad laughter sent chills down Haku's spine. Staring at the crane in question, she returned his gaze with a mocking sneer.

"Do you really think you are the only spirit interested in her? Haku, you may have started the bonding process, but that doesn't mean she will choose you at the end of the day." Yui turned around and fluffed her tail feathers before walking confidently towards the door. Stopping in the doorway, she looked back at him. "In fact, I am confident that he will sweep her away before you get your act together and court her as you should. Keep playing these games, Haku. You are going to lose."

Chihiro rolled out of bed and nearly toppled off at the sight of Lin sitting at her vanity fixing her hair into a ponytail.

"Took you long enough to wake up. I was preparing to get a bucket of water to dump on you." Giving her a leery eye, Chihiro went to the wardrobe to grab her uniform.

"What exactly are you doing in my room at this hour?"

"I came to get you for breakfast. Won't be anything left at the rate you're going though," Lin grumbled as she smirked at the sleepy human via the mirror. Rolling her eyes at the weasel spirit, Chihiro stumbled out of the room and went to the bathroom to get ready. Openly ignoring Haku sitting at the desk drinking tea, she hurried back to Lin. Glancing between the two of them with a cocked eyebrow as Chihiro dragged her out, Lin could sense his unease. The dragon was obviously on pins and needles about something. Shrugging her shoulders, she joined Chihiro in the elevator to go down.

"Not talking to Haku this morning," Lin asked trying to spark up conversation. The distant hurt look in Chihiro's eyes told her everything. As she had feared, last night had had more of an effect on her than she cared to admit.

"I need some time to think on things, that's all. I hope you aren't going to be showing up in my room every morning?"

"Bright eyed and bushy tailed," Lin replied with sarcasm as she leaned against the railing. The look of annoyance on Chihiro's face brought her lips up into a smirk. The elevator opened and they began to walk to the next elevator to continue down towards the kitchens.

It felt odd to be away from the infirmary all day after spending so much time there. Yui had not given her a moment of peace at the shrine and they had worked hard up until dinnertime when Lin had arrived to take her back to the bathhouse. Walking into the kitchen, they seemed to enter an uproar in progress. Staff scuttled about hurrying to prepare and send out the evening meals. It seemed that Chef was not in the kitchen manning the process as usual and as such, the staff was in a frenzy. Taking control of the situation, Lin organized everyone and stepped back as she watched order resume in the kitchen.

"I'm going to take Kamaji down his tray and pick up the lunch tray. See if you could be of any use here for a few minutes while I'm gone," Lin said as she picked up the tray by the door. Nodding her head yes, Chihiro headed towards the food line prep. The field mouse spirit running the line spotted her approach and her eyes brightened. Grabbing a tray from the line, she thrust it into Chihiro's arms.

"I need to this brought up to the silver room right now. Please hurry," nodding her head in understanding Chihiro grasped the tray. Turning on her heel, she headed to the nearest elevator and got on. The silver room was set aside for important guests and was considered the best quarters available, besides of course the master's flat. Smiling and nodding at the guests as she passed, Chihiro ascended higher into the bathhouse. Changing elevators, she remembered the first time she had snuck into the bathhouse and taken the elevators up to meet Yubaba. The ding of the elevator arriving broke her from her reverie and she walked quickly towards the appointed room. Sounds of muffled yelling could be heard through the door, but Chihiro knocked anyways. Instantly, the cacophony ceased and a call to enter was heard.

Sliding open the door, Chihiro was surprised to see Chef bowing in a dogeza on the floor before a padded shell. Sitting atop the shell, Hana looked back her with steely eyes. She felt like she had walked into a landmine, but it was too late to flee. Performing a deep bow, Chihiro brought the tray into the room.


	26. Chapter 25

I apologize for the delay in posting anything. The newborn kitten has been terribly sick with pneumonia and I've been so sleep deprived that not even coffee could move me to a state of awake. Good news: I've written large parts of the festival chapters meaning when I can finally get us there, the updates will be swift. Bad News: Between kitten, classes, and work I don't know when I will be able to post again since I don't know when I will have time to do any writing. I am considering pushing through the next three chapters quickly even if they aren't too good so I can get us to the festival already. I'm planning on editing all of the chapters after the arc ends in preparation for the next arc anyways.

Poll is at 10:20. Since there has been no movement in weeks, I will drop the double release number down to 15. If you guys can get 15 votes in the poll, I will post two updates simultaneously. When everything gets crazy in the next few chapters you might want this.

The wonderous amazing Trastuspies has offered to draw something for the cover image of this story. If you haven't seen her work definitely head over to her deviantart pages and check it out. Thank you guys for holding in there despite all of the issues on my end and for all of your support to date.

 **Chapter 25:**

Noticing an untouched tray on a table nearby, Chihiro began to wade through the water towards it. The water went halfway up her calves and she wondered if Chef was alright bowing in this level of water. Even if she was a catfish spirit maybe it was still uncomfortable?

"What have you brought," Hana asked with narrowed eyes.

"Freshwater caviar upon a salad of fresh river greens," Chihiro said with a flourish as she removed the lid and placed it beside the previous setting. The previous food was untouched and looked to be the same dish. The ice in the bottom of the bowl hadn't even melted yet, meaning it was still fresh. A look of confusion crossed her features as she packed up the other tray.

"Tell me exactly what that is," Hana said with a scolding look. Chihiro's brow scrunched up in confusion. She had just told the fish what was on the tray, why did she want it repeated? Rolling her eyes and sighing loudly, Hana clarified with annoyance, "Is the caviar from upriver or down river? When were the greens picked and from what region?"

Chihiro tried to control her expression before it revealed how stupid she thought the fish was being. Why did it matter where it came from? It was high quality food being served at a well-known bathhouse. There should be no issues about its origins. Darting her eyes over towards Chef she saw the fearful look in her eyes. She didn't really know the answers to her questions, but if this previous tray was anything to go by her response mattered.

"Are all weasels as incompetent as you? Really I don't know why Haku even bothers to hire such vermin," Hana continued as Chihiro mulled over her choices. Cocking a brow at the koi's response, she felt her own anger rising. Chihiro had worked with unruly, rude guests before, but this was starting to take the cake.

"Both the caviar and greens were picked late this morning from a site upriver to us. I'm not sure the exact site, though Chef should know since she was the one in charge of receiving the order," Chihiro lied with a blank face. Hoping that the still bowed spirit would pick up what she was putting down, she sent up a silent prayer that she could get them both out of this situation. The tension was obviously rising in the room and so was the water if her soaked thighs were anything to go by. She wondered if the murky wavy water was a warning to its mistresses' emotions.

"They were sent down from above the Fujioka rapids Hana-hime," Chef spoke up, drawing the koi fish's intense glare down upon her. There was not a single difference between the meal that she had brought up and the one brought in by Chihiro, but she would be willing to say almost anything to get out of there at this point.

"If that were the case then why did you bother bringing me that down river filth earlier," Hana said motioning towards the tray Chihiro was picking up, "I told you before countless times that I only will consume the best water products and yet you still tried to pull a fast one on me."

"I apologize hime-sama that the meal was not up to your standards. Please enjoy the fresh dinner that my staff has prepared for you." Standing up from her cushion, the koi fish floated gently across the water towards Chihiro. Closing the last bowl on the old tray, Chihiro balanced it against her belly as she slid the new tray into place. Turning around she felt her heart race in fear at how close the koi fish was getting. For a creature so majestic it seemed a shame that her beauty was only scale deep. With a disdainful glare, Hana slapped the tray out of Chihiro's hands tossing the contents into the murky water roiling about the room. Shock and outrage filled her features at the audacity of Hana's actions.

"I will not accept such misconduct! My meals will be prepared and served by pure wetland creatures or else I will have your head on a platter chef, do I make myself clear," Hana roared as she continued staring down her nose at Chihiro, "And as for you, weasel. Go back to the hovel you crawled out of. Just because you've overpopulated the West doesn't mean you can migrate to everyone else's territory in search of food. There's no room for you here." A loud yes came from the bowed chef, but Chihiro defiantly glared back as her now empty hands swung down to her sides. It was one thing to be rude, but this was a whole other ball game of ridiculous.

"Chef, get off the floor." Chihiro's command was calm and firm. Chef looked at her startled, but slowly complied after a side long glance from Chihiro. Turning her attention back to the koi fish, Chihiro smiled pleasantly while she seethed inside.

"I apologize for your dissatisfaction with our services here, but I will not have you threatening my fellow staff members. You can place your complaints with management or with Master Haku if you wish to do so but I will not stand here and let you disrespect me or Chef." Hana's hiss of disgust was interrupted by a brisk knock and the door sliding open. Bowing deeply, Lin entered the room and shut the door behind her. Noting the floating tray, the tension between Hana and Chihiro, and the panicked look on Chef's face she nearly slapped a hand onto her forehead in sarcastic irony. Lin had given Chihiro one job, stay in the kitchen and help out, and yet she had gotten herself into a situation with the exact person that they had been trying to prevent her from meeting.

"I apologize for the intrusion Hana-sama, but I have come to retrieve my assistant." Puffing up arrogantly, the koi fish directed her attention towards Lin.

"It's no wonder this insolent wretch is yours. She had the nerve to threaten me and throw my food into the water."

"You call that a threat," Chihiro scoffed loudly, "Now I almost wish that I had tossed the tray into the water." The water suddenly rose up and lunged towards Chihiro, but it stopped as if it hit an invisible wall inches away from her. Chef slowly lowered the intercepted water back to the floor and Lin grabbed Chihiro roughly by the arm.

"I apologize for my assistant and will see that she is punished accordingly. Chef, see to it that this messed is cleaned up and a fresh tray is brought up to Hana-sama. Please excuse us," Lin said with a low bow before dragging Chihiro out of the room. Slamming the door behind her, Lin rounded on her.

"What in kami's name were thinking," she shouted. Grabbing Chihiro and dragging her down the hallway towards the elevator, Lin muttered to herself all of the terrible things that Yui was going to do to her when she found out about the mishap. She would be lucky if boiled weasel were not on the shrine alter by dawn. "You shouldn't have left the kitchen!"

"I was asked to deliver the meal tray up to her room."

"And I had told you, to help out there and be useful. Instead, you go and pick a fight with the damn koi," Lin continued ranting aloud. Putting her heels down, they stumbled to a halt in front of the elevator.

"I did not attack her Lin. I went in to deliver the tray and she purposefully came over to knock the tray out of my hands."

"I know that! She's lied before and got others into trouble," Lin said cryptically as she forced them into the elevator heading up. Yanking the switch, the elevator rumbled to life and began soaring upward.

"Does Haku know? Surely he can't allow someone like that to remain in the bathhouse?"

"He does and he will."

"Wait if he knows that she is like this," Chihiro asked horrified as the previous night ran through her mind, "then how come he acted like that last night?" Could Haku really like someone like that? Shouldn't his love for the bathhouse and its workers overtake whatever he had with the fish?

"I don't have an explanation for the enigma that is the dragon. Perhaps you would care to confront him yourself while I go try to rectify what you've done," Lin chided as they got off the elevator. Opening the door to Haku's flat, Lin watched Chihiro stomp by before shutting and locking the door behind her. Rubbing her hand against her temple, she walked back to the elevator and pressed the lever to go down. The crane was not going to be happy with her.

Stomping into the living room, Chihiro spotted Haku sitting in front of the fire enjoying a cup of tea as he read over some papers. The smell of her anger and traces of her lingering fear wafted towards him and he knew that if he engaged her in this state the conversation was not going to be pretty. What had gotten her all up in a knot? Wasn't she supposed to have been practicing all day at the shrine? She stopped directly in front of him with a frown and began tapping her wet foot impatiently. Clearing her throat loudly, she stared waiting for his acknowledgement. When none came, Chihiro nearly growled in irritation.

"Haku, we need to talk."

"Later Chihiro. There's more important things at hand." Narrowing her eyes at him, she reached down to remove one of her wet socks and tossed it on him. The sock landed with a wet slap across his chest and his eyes darted down to observe the foul thing. Setting his paper back onto the stack, he removed the water from her clothes with a flick of his hand and tossed it into the fire. "I guess now is fine too."

"You let a menace into the bathhouse," Chihiro accused as she snatched back the now dried sock from his proffering hand. Finding the irony in her words, Haku tried to hide his smirk by taking a sip of his tea. No-face had given Yubaba quite some trouble during his brief stay here and he had enjoyed the stories the other staff members had told him about the experience.

"Funny you say that, cause so have you." Chihiro gaped at his accusation and started to prepare a sharp retort when a loud knock interrupted them.

"Master Haku, Master Haku," a shrill voice called from outside of the flat door, "my honored lady Hana-sama requests your presence immediately." Chihiro looked back towards Haku and was surprised to find him unfazed by the message. In fact, he had picked up his paper again and was taking a long sip of his tea comfortably.

"You're not going to answer that," Chihiro asked astounded.

"Would you," Haku mocked with a raised brow. Huffing at him in annoyance, Chihiro started walking towards the flat door. As she rose her hand to grab the door handle, arms wrapped around her pinning her arms to her sides. Squirming helplessly for a few moments against his tight grasp, she finally stilled. Her back warmed instantly against his chest and she could feel every breath he took.

"Surely you weren't about to answer that and blow my cover. I'm supposed to be away from the bathhouse this evening," he whispered into her ear. The hot breath against her neck sent a shiver down her spine and her anger was abided as her mind took a different direction.

"You shouldn't leave the staff to suffer alone oh powerful master of the bathhouse," she mocked as she tried to grab the door handle again. Squeezing her tighter, Haku lifted her up enough to drag her back into the living room. Considering his options, he sat down in his original spot and adjusted her to sit across his lap.

"I will go and deal with Hana later. For now, why don't you tell me about your day? It feels like forever since we just sat down and talked." That's because we don't anymore Chihiro stopped herself from retorting. If he was trying to be friends again she was willing to meet him halfway. Surely she could manage that much. Taking a breath, Chihiro told him about her day and every minute detail of what happened in the silver room. Having someone listen allowed her to vent and her anger dwindled away to peace. If she had known that the real reason he was interested in hearing about her day was to see who she was interacting with that could be threatening his position in her life, she might not have been so decidedly open with him. After a while she rambled her thoughts aloud not even realizing that the servant who had come searching for him was long gone and that she was still perched comfortably on his lap. His forgotten tea was chilled despite the nearby fire.

"-and what sort of person does that? It's cruel to inflict her upon the staff Haku, really you must do something about it."

"Well I'm glad I was correct in guessing that her desire for my presence was to complain. The first time she visited she tried to get Lin fired just for walking into her room," Haku mused.

"Why? Is she heartless?"

"Hana is a follower of a religion that believes in water spirit superiority and that by limiting themselves to only other water oriented spirits and water made products, they will never become tainted."

"And what do you think of that," Chihiro asked as she turned to face him better.

"I run a bathhouse Chihiro," Haku riposted as if that were a final reply in itself.

"How is that an answer?"

"If I were a power mongering water spirit of a dragon, do you think the bathhouse would be the way it is?" Chihiro stopped to think about it for a moment before shaking her head no. "I believe that the diversity of spirits and humans in our worlds is what makes it beautiful."

A knock on the locked flat door interrupted them again. Chihiro's eyes darted in the direction of the door and she took note of the late time on the clock. The morning sun was well on its way up already.

"Haku, open up. I know you're still awake in there," Lin called. Sighing loudly, he leaned his head against the flesh of her neck. Chihiro opened her mouth to protest, but after a moment shut it soundlessly. Lin's knocks seemed to fade away as he spoke.

"I know I have to go, but please just give me this moment." Wordlessly they sat there together and Chihiro felt her heart reach out for him. Haku was like the ocean, taking her into its warm wet depths before ebbing away with the turning of the moon. If only he were consistent then maybe she could make some progress in either direction.

Gently sliding her off his lap and onto the couch cushion beside him, Haku silently got up and walked away. The burn of her eyes following his retreat seared into his back. Chihiro could hear the sound of the flat door opening and Lin greeting him. The door slammed shut and their conversation was muted. Sighing loudly, Chihiro ran a hand through her hair and got up to get ready for bed.

The next day was grueling as Yui drilled into her over and over again. Every so often a messenger would arrive from the bathhouse and speak briefly with her outside the door to the practice room before departing back to which it came. Yui knew it wasn't necessarily Chihiro's fault (she mostly blamed Lin for leaving her alone anyways). Perhaps she and Lin should have been more clear about who they were trying to keep her away from, but it didn't matter now. She was not only on the koi fish's radar, but an actual target. Each messenger that she turned away, another seemed to return swiftly. Her annoyance and anger at the regular interruptions and at the situation led to her being severe in her criticisms. By the time that dinner was brought in, Chihiro was soundly bitter from the day's work.

"Oh what, I don't even get to have dinner in the bathhouse anymore?"

"Stop being a prat and come sit down," Yui chided as she adjusted herself onto a cushion before the trays.

"Where is Lin? Usually we have meals together," Chihiro retorted, standing defiantly. She really would have preferred to sit with how sore her feet were, but sitting felt like a defeat.

"She is currently handling the barrage of assignments from Hana-sama."

"I thought Hana-sama didn't like weasels," Chihiro asked confused as to why the arrogant fish would be bothering Lin.

"She doesn't, but that doesn't mean she won't go out of her way to make their lives living hell. The tasks were meant for you as part of your 'punishment' for going against her. I've been having to redirect them to Lin all day so you could practice peacefully. Now sit down and eat before I have a heart attack. All of this stress isn't good for me," Yui said as she shoved a prawn into her mouth. Guilt swept through Chihiro as she thought back to the number of messengers that had come by. She could only imagine what stupid pointless tasks the fish would be asking of her. Yui noticed Chihiro's worried expression as she flopped down gracelessly and reached for a bowl of rice. "Don't worry about Lin. She can handle herself just fine."

"What will happen if Hana notices that I'm not doing the tasks and that Lin is doing them for me?"

"I doubt she would check herself and her maids seem fairly comfortable in using our staff to complete their tasks. We shouldn't necessarily have any further issues in the short term," Yui mused as her mind spoke what scattered thoughts it had.

"It's not fair to Lin. This is all my fault," Chihiro started, but Yui cut her off.

"Yes it is, but you can't stop now. Didn't you tell Haku you would work hard to perfect the dance? If you stop to do all that Hana asks of you, not only will you never have time to practice, you may be hurt."

"I'm just worried about her," Chihiro mumbled off as she started into the rice and vegetables in her bowl.

"Focus on practicing for the festival and staying away from trouble for now. That would be the greatest help for her."


	27. Chapter 26

It feels like forever since the last time I posted, but I promise you I'm not dead yet. The kitten is finally (insert many praises heavenward) sleeping through the night and has overcome the pneumonia despite all odds. The creature has now preoccupied its non-sleeping hours with attempting to follow me everywhere around the house when I am home. You guys are up to 12 out of 15 votes for the poll. I have decided to post the first chapters for two of the stories that I proposed and see if that changes any votes/gains you any more votes. These start ups WILL NOT be part of the double chapter release deal since it will be difficult enough for me to write two chapters for this story and my Ouran story within a reasonable amount of time. As always I send my love and thanks for your patience and unending awesomeness. Next chapter is where the fun begins... *insert maniacal laughter while stroking hand-sized complaining kitten*

 **Chapter 26:**

"You're a sight for sore eyes." Chihiro startled as thick furry arms wrapped her in a bear hug from behind. Recognizing the familiar brown fur, she felt her lips tug into its first smile in days.

"What are you doing here Okita?" It had been at least three days since Chihiro was placed on isolation, two days since she had last seen Lin, and two hours since the latest messenger had stopped by. Guests were now regularly streaming into the bathhouse with gusto each morning and tents were beginning to be set up on the river itself. Yui begged her pardon for needing to run to the infirmary for a short visit, but promised her that the wards she had erected around the practice room were more than enough to keep her protected and hidden. No one should have been able to get in and yet there Okita was, smirking at her.

"I just finished my morning therapy at the infirmary and thought I'd stop in for a visit. How's it going?" The annoyed groan that came in response made his smirk shift into a smile. "Oh come on Chihiro. You already have the dance memorized. What more is there to it?"

"The dance isn't the problem," Chihiro rebuked as she took a glance around for the missing crane. She should be back any moment and Chihiro didn't want her finding out that Okita had gotten inside. Believing them to be alone, she confided in the tanuki. "Yui has had me on lock down ever since that unbearable fish arrived. I don't mind practicing, but this is absolutely ridiculous. She won't let me go anywhere other than this room and Haku's flat. Kami knows what's happening to Lin in my place. I hope someone turns that fish into a sushi roll. Plus, I haven't seen Hikaru in days. He probably thinks I abandoned him."

"He definitely misses you that's for sure. He sent me over here to check on you," Okita replied with a reassuring smile. Releasing a sigh, Chihiro walked over and sat down gracefully on a cushion.

"I feel guilty for all of the trouble I've caused, but at the same time I wish I could just escape for a few hours. I'd apologize to Hikaru for leaving him like that the other day and to Lin for taking one step out of that kitchen."

"Well I don't think I could manage Lin, but I could get you a few hours with Hikaru." Chihiro's eyes brightened at the opportunity and as she opened her mouth to ask how, the door slid open. The tired crane startled at the surprise of Okita's presence in the room. Chihiro hurriedly got to her feet.

"How did you get in here," Yui started as the anger seeped into her voice. The room was supposed to be safe yet an unexpected guest was present. Was her magic really that weak? "The building is under ward protection right now…"

Okita smirked back at Chihiro and leaned over to whisper quickly in her ear, "Read it when you are alone tonight." Shooting her a saucy wink, he disappeared into thin air and the small slip of paper that had been laying where he was standing crumbled into indiscernible ash. Huffing with annoyance, Yui magically swept up the ash and deposited it in the waste bin.

"I'm not sure what that troublemaker told you, but you should be weary of him. Kami knows what sort of nonsense he might try to play now that he's gained his freedom." Giving her uncommitted hmph Chihiro walked into the center of the floor and began practicing again. The small weight of whatever Okita had slipped into her pocket when he was whispering gave her something to look forward to.

It was late evening when Chihiro finally got back to her room and prepared for bed. Getting under the covers, she finally opened the small envelope that had been a deadweight in her pocket for the entirety of the afternoon. Raising an eyebrow at the small packet of black powder within, she lifted out the note beside it.

"Dear Chihiro, I hope you are doing well since the last time we spoke. Yui has given me another day before I can leave the infirmary so Okita has agreed to slip this note to you and one of the powders he uses for work. When you are alone tonight, pour the powder out in a line and inhale it before lying down to sleep. Make sure to not let any of it get airborne unless you want others joining us. –Hikaru"

Eyeing the black powder suspiciously, Chihiro wondered if trusting the tanuki was ever a good idea and if this would actually help her visit Hikaru. It reminded her of gun powder and the idea of snorting anything was outright revolting. He was probably have a good laugh about this somewhere. Pouring the powder out on the nightstand, she used the envelope to form a tentative line. Frowning at it, Chihiro considered if this was really the best idea; she definitely had her doubts. Putting her concerns aside, she rolled up the small note and hurriedly took the powder in. Instantly Chihiro's vision began to blur and she felt the paper fall out of her hand. Moving her hand in front of her face she realized that she was already having troubles moving her fingers. Falling back onto the bed, her arm numbly flopped out to the side and she kept breathing quickly through her mouth as her nose burned from the powder. Chihiro's eyes slid shut and she felt sweat forming on her brow as the warmth in her nose spread quickly about her body. Unconsciousness swooped in to take her quickly.

As Chihiro opened her eyes, she was surprised to find herself surrounded by darkness. The sensation of warmth was gone and in fact, she might argue that wherever she was it was fairly cool. Usually when she went to bed in her room she was fairly hot from the blankets, her pajamas, and the nearby fire. Wondering how she was cold, Chihiro glanced down to see what she was wearing. Her eyes grew wide at the navy blue nightgown that clung to her and yet seemed to flow gently to an unseen current. Some of the shimmering fabric went down her arms in a delicate twisting pattern before encircling her middle fingers. A single dark ribbon wound firmly beneath her breasts, supporting them upward against the modest sweetheart cut of the dress.

"I'm happy to see you arrived safely." Clutching a hand to her chest and spinning about, she relaxed at the sight of Hikaru. He seemed to separate from the darkness with his pale human features. Bringing his hand up, a shawl appeared bundled up within his grasp. Taking his offering with a muttered thanks, she used it to wrap up her bare shoulders. "Though I have to say that I'm a bit surprised you formed me as a human."

"What do you mean? Where are we," Chihiro asked as she noted the darkness seeming to brighten in some areas.

"We are wherever you want us to be or rather wherever Okita will allow us to exist." The confused look on Chihiro's face told him all that he needed to know about the situation. "So you trusted Okita enough to take the powder, but didn't ask questions about what would happen?"

"He didn't exactly have any time to tell me." Nodding his head in understanding, Hikaru glanced down at their bare feet. The ground seemed to be solidifying into a soft pebble beach, but the surrounding darkness had yet to form completely into their environment.

"The powder you took is a specific kind of tanuki ash. When inhaled, the intended victims fall unconscious and mentally enter into a world of the tanuki's creation for a set period of time. It's very useful for extracting information from the Tainted and for distracting enemies."

"So you are telling me that Okita has us under some sort of shared hallucination?"

"In a way, though I made him promise to give us as much control over the situation as he possibly could. Anything we say in here will remain privately between you and me that much I know for sure." The darkness seemed to part like rolling fog revealing a peaceful blue lake lapping at the pebbles a few steps away from them. A weak afternoon sun peaked out from behind the clouds and the air seemed like a temperate fall day. A gnarled old tree breached the seemingly unending beach front and from it, one large branch protruded over the water with an old swing dangling from it.

"This place…," Chihiro murmured as she felt a wave of nostalgia sweep over her. Stepping towards the tree unconsciously, she remembered the only camping trip that her father had ever taken her on when she was small. He had procured an old canvas army tent that lacked a floor and had convinced her mother to let them go for a week to a small lake in the backwoods of Kyushu. It had rained nearly the entire time they were there, soaking the canvas tent and causing their air mattresses to float in the puddles. Her father managed to find the only poison oak in a five kilometer radius on the second day and she had sprawled out in the mud from turning too roughly in her sleep on several occasions. One might argue that the entire experience was a terrible blot upon her memory, but she looked back at it with fondness. Despite all of the mishaps, it was time they had spent bonding together and that was all that mattered to her.

It was on the last day that she discovered an old tree with a swing upon the lake shore. Begging her father to push her on it, Chihiro had gone running along the pebbly shore until she had reached the wooden plank threaded with knotted ropes. Grumbling about how he wasn't sure if this was the best idea, he gave her a few pushes to get her started. On the third push, the swing had broken, sending her into the water with a huge splash. When she broke the surface and looked back at her father, the two of them had started laughing uncontrollably. After everything that had happened, it seemed ironic and hilarious that not a single thing had gone right that trip.

"You know this place," Hikaru asked tentatively as he noticed her eyes focus on the tree and return to reality.

"Yes. I came here once as a child." Shaking her head, she turned her attention back to Hikaru, but his eyes still lingered on the tree. "I'm sorry for leaving you like that the other day. We never got to finish our talk."

"Think nothing of it. Shall we take a walk and see what we find?" Her eyes darted back to the swing and she smiled. Chihiro's sense of humor demanded that she request Hikaru get on the swing instead and that she would give him a push. However it seemed cruel to put an unsuspecting fox on a questionably secure swing. Perhaps in this reality the swing would not break.

"I would like that immensely."

The pebbles crunched underneath their bare feet as they slowly walked side by side towards the tree in the distance. Glancing up at her, Hikaru tried to bring up the courage he needed to say what he wanted to say. For her part, Chihiro admired the colorful pebbles and looked out over the lake. She was just happy being beside him and that he had forgiven her.

"Yui visited me today. She said that I can't leave the infirmary for another day, but after that I'm free to leave. I will leave the infirmary the morning after next." Chihiro looked over at Hikaru. His eyes were downturned and his body seemed to move heavily with each step. What should be joyous news seemed to trouble him greatly.

"That's wonderful news, Hikaru! I'll see if I can stop by that morning to see you off before practice. Did she find a solution for your missing memory or are you going to figure it out after you leave? Where will you go after this?" She was torn between happiness that he would be well enough to vacate the infirmary and sadness that he would be leaving her soon.

"I don't know to be honest. Without my memory, I probably won't be able to access my magic if I find trouble on my way back North." Bending over to grasp a few white pebbles, Chihiro tried to skip them across the water unsuccessfully. Under normal circumstances she would have had no trouble skipping them, but part of her was admittedly disappointed that he would be leaving soon. She would miss him. Taking in the way the corners of her lips were downturned in concern, Hikaru read her emotions easily. Retrieving a hand full of stones, Hikaru tossed one elegantly making it skip five times before disappearing into the depths of the lake. "Would you like me to stay here with you?"

"I want you to go wherever will make you happiest. Besides, don't you think it would be selfish of me to ask you to stay only for me to leave a few weeks later," Chihiro babbled as she half-heartedly threw another rock, "I'm returning to the human world Hikaru and soon I won't remember you."

"I could go with you." He said it so simply that Chihiro's mouth gaped open in surprise for a moment before she could quickly shut it. "We could go back to your world together and forget all about this stupid war. I wouldn't need my memories back. We could create a whole new beginning. You could go back to whatever job it is that you were doing before you were stolen from your world and I would find a job that makes me happy.-"

"Why would you do all of that for me," Chihiro asked. The stones in her hand were forgotten as she dropped them to the ground and faced Hikaru. Keeping his face calm, he swung out another skipping stone upon the water. This was his moment. He should be completely honest with her and put all of his feelings out there, but what if she didn't feel the same way? Hikaru knew she had something going on with Haku, but it seemed apparent that her feelings for him weren't returned. Was now really the best time? His courage failed him when he noticed her serious expression. Changing directions, Hikaru tried for a different approach.

"My time should have ended in that hot miserable basement weeks ago, but you brought me back from the darkness and gave me another shot at life. You make me happy and I have enjoyed our time together. I want to spend the remainder of my days by your side if you will allow me to… Chihiro, please make a contract with me." Hikaru threw his last stone and turned to face her in all seriousness. It was all or nothing now. "I promise to be by your side and protect you from evil, no matter the world, until the day you no longer want me. In return, I only ask for your companionship and patience."

Hikaru offered out his right arm and waited for her to take it. All she had to do was verbally agree to his terms aloud and grasp his arm, magic would do the rest. Chihiro looked at his hand in heavy consideration. Contracts were no laughing matter in the Spirit World, her previous experience here taught her that, but she saw no harm in his offer. Still, her gut was telling her that he was offering her more than he was saying aloud.

"Hikaru, wouldn't our friendship change if we make a contract? Can't we just stay the way we are?"

"Nothing will change between us if we form a contract. You are simply giving me a purpose to remaining in the bathhouse." Hikaru knew he was outright lying. If she accepted his proposal, everything would change. They would be bound magically and he would belong to her. If she felt any strong emotion such as fear or anger, he would be able to feel it and in the worst case scenario, send his magic to her for her protection. He really should have phrased the contract so that she would belong to him as well, but it was too late to change the offer. What was done, was done.

"But this decision affects after I leave the bathhouse as well. It's not a decision to be taken lightly. It would change both of our lives." Hikaru felt his heart drop at her hesitation to accept. Perhaps they weren't as close as he had hoped. "I want to take you up on this and say yes, but can you give me some time to think about it? I want to make sure I'm making the right decision first."

Nodding his head, he let his arm drop to his side. All hope was not lost yet, at least she was considering his offer. She would come around in time and when he was free of the infirmary, he could spend his time wooing her to his proposal. Trying to break the underlying tension between them, Hikaru smiled at her and pointed at the now much closer tree. "Now that that's out of the way, care to swing?"

Seating herself down on the familiar wooden plank, she was surprised to see Hikaru pause before pushing. Examining the ropes on either side, he frowned and uttered a few things under his breath.

"Is there a problem?"

"The knots seemed a bit weak. I just hope they hold, that's all. Wouldn't want you falling into the water." Nodding her head in understanding, she felt his warm hands press against her in a gentle push. Swinging forward out over the water, Chihiro began the pendulum motion. After she was good and flying, Hikaru stood back and sat down on the beach as he tried to calm his still roiling heart. He watched the way her dress flowed with the air and how her feet pumped through the air trying to defy gravity itself. The remaining lengths of ribbon not tied up into a bow dragged behind her. His favorite part was the way she grasped the ropes and arched her back as if to push for more from life itself.

Chihiro frowned as she thought about the disappointed look that had passed over Hikaru's face before he had smiled earlier. Had she made the right decision in asking for more time? Surely this wasn't a matter to be rushed. Her thoughts were interrupted as the swing broke and she began flying towards the water. Instead of the rush of cool water sweeping her under, she was surprised to feel firm warm flesh taking the blunt force of her fall. Jolted to a halt, she found herself caught in Hikaru's arms. He looked down at her with a concerned smirk.

"Why does it always seem that you have an affinity for water?" Rolling her eyes at his comment, she looked down to see what he was standing on. Her eyebrows arched in surprise as she saw they were standing on a solid piece of ice and similar footprint sized ice cubes stood making a tentative line from where he had been seated before. Hikaru ignored it all as he continued to focus completely on her. "I mean really, I swear if there is a patch of water between here and the edge of the world, you would find your way into it. Are you secretly part mermaid or something?"

"No, I'm not," Chihiro laughed as he began walking back towards shore, "If anything it seems you are part ice woman, care to share how you froze the water?"

"I don't have the slightest idea what you are talking about," Hikaru mocked as he set her down on the beach and smirked at her. Turning to point out the ice cubes to him, she was surprised to find them missing. Hikaru smiled even larger at her outright shock. "Perhaps it was all in your imagination, sweetheart."


	28. Chapter 27

Hey everyone. I'm sorry for the long delay, but I truly struggled in writing this chapter. It did not come out the way I wanted it to, but its been two weeks and despite numerous edits, it simply has not gotten there. Rather than continue to stew over it, I have decided to post it and move on. The faster I can get to the end of arc one the faster I can go back and edit all of the chapters and smooth everything out. I know that by the end of this chapter you will probably want to rage quit the story (I know if I was a reader this would probably be the end of the line for me) however I ask that you give me at least two or three more chapters to try and show you why these events were necessary and meaningful to the overall story. The next chapter is already half written which would usually mean I could post fairly soon, but I have to write 8 12-15 page papers for my classes over the next two months meaning I might be burnt out for a bit and take a while again.

Poll: 12 out of 15. I've pretty much made up my mind on which one I want to work on, however this needs to be finished first before I start on that project in detail and I said I would leave the poll open until the arc ends.

As usual, thanks for your patience and support. I promise you will have your Haku x Chihiro fluff and relationship eventually, but first there are bigger fish to fry. ;)

 **Chapter 27:**

Chihiro sat upright with a shock as she gulped down air hungrily. Her nostrils faintly burned still and her hands were twisted in the sheets as if to hold on for dear life. Taking a deep breath, Chihiro felt her body slowly calming down from the aftereffects of the tanuki ash. Late afternoon sun poured in the window telling her it was much too early for her to be awake, but her body was much too awake to consider going back to sleep. Wiping a hand across her nostrils, she frowned as the smear of black residue that spread to her appendage. Chihiro slid out of bed and silently walked her way into the bathroom. Streaks of black mixed with the cold water flowing down the drain and she looked at her messy appearance in the mirror. Sweat greased hair that was tousled from her restlessness and dark circles hanging beneath her eyes greeted her. Wiping her face off with a spare towel, Chihiro exited the bathroom and almost crashed into Haku who was making his way in sleepily. Startling at his half naked state, Chihiro blushed heavily and looked away as she muttered a good morning.

"Good morning to you as well. What wakes you at this hour of morning," Haku asked curiously as he moved past her into the entranceway to the bathroom.

"Just couldn't sleep," Chihiro remarked waving it off. Leaning against the doorframe, Haku smiled at her. Chihiro couldn't help but feel her face flame red at the way his eyes sparkled with his earnest sleepy smile and how his body looked lounging on display before her. Tugging her eyes away, she reminded herself of all the reasons Haku was off limits and not worth the trouble of pursuing any longer.

"It's not often our schedules match up," Haku stated as Chihiro tried to leave to return to her room. Stopping in her tracks and turning back to face him, Chihiro raised an eyebrow in question. "Would you consider having breakfast with me? I've missed you."

Chihiro opened her mouth to turn him down and instead let out a sigh. Yui wouldn't be around until well after the sun went down and she was unusually starving at the moment (perhaps an aftereffect of the tanuki ash?). Balancing between desire to spend time with him and not wanting to develop any further feelings for him, Chihiro finally caved to the offer.

"I would like that."

Hana floated peacefully on the cushion in her palanquin as her procession made its way from her room to the front door. Today she would go out and receive the package her father had sent her from the river. She was pleased that it had arrived in time for the festival which would begin in two days' time. Talking idly to her friend and marriage rival from the neighboring swamplands, Shoko-chan, the two fish were being carried towards the exit. Shoko was a calm salmon spirit with a biting wit and a cleverness that Hana lacked. As Hana confided in how she was torturing a weasel spirit that hadn't given her the proper respect with difficult or painful chores, their palanquin drifted past the railing overlooking the large tub. Glancing down at her handiwork, Hana felt the words clam up in her mouth. The small weasel spirit was not fighting the bloodworms in the mud bath mess she had prepared as punishment. No, the large weasel spirit was deftly handling the known wetlands pest with an uncanny grace. Wrath and rage welled up within her and she growled quickly for the maid who had been sent to deliver the request originally to be brought forward. Bowing low to her, the salamander spirit that served as one of her maids trembled in fear before her.

"Tell me why someone other than the small weasel is doing what I have asked?"

"I passed on the request to the foreman and was assured it would be seen to. I am so sorry Hana-sama, please punish me as you see fit." Turning to her companion with a sinister smile, Hana mocked the quivering girl. She hadn't been accompanying Hana for long and with the recent death of some of the more senior maids she couldn't afford to kill off another, but that didn't mean they couldn't have fun at her expense.

"Oh whatever shall we do with her? Shoko-chan, perhaps you have a suggestion?" Eyes glinting with happiness, the salmon leant out of the palanquin and lifted the girl's bowed head.

"Bring the foreman to us and I will ensure that you only receive the lightest of beatings." Shaking her head rapidly, the maid's eyes darted towards Hana's before she bowed quickly and ran off.

"What are you thinking?"

"It's troublesome to dispose of corpses on other spirit's turf. Simply kill her when you get home, but let her serve you dutifully for now." Together they laughed as the palanquin resumed its arduous stroll towards the exit.

The morning had started the day off so well in Chihiro's mind that even the cloudy weather could not bring her down. Breakfast with Haku had been pleasant and relaxed as they sat back in their pajamas and watched the sunset. No matter how far Haku tried to push her away, it always seemed like they connected on some deeper level when they actually opened up and talked with one another. There had even been an unguarded moment when he had leaned forward and swept a strand of her hair out of her face, gently caressing her cheek in the process. Seeming to realize his mistake, he had mumbled out an excuse and looked away as he took a sip of his tea. The memory of that alone left her unusually happy and it showed in the slight kick in her step as she practiced.

As she had rehearsed diligently, Yui perched on the edge of the walkway and looked up at the darkening sky. With so many water spirits and other wetland spirits arriving for the festival, it was bound to start raining any hour now. Yui had reminded Chihiro at least half a dozen times that even if she had to leave to take care of her delta in the human world, her heart would be with here in spirit throughout her practice time and the performance. In her opinion, Chihiro was more than prepared for Sunday and would be able to prepare the relics and execute the dance beautifully. Yui's greatest concern was that the marriage candidates would try to harm Chihiro after the dance was over or that some of the powerful dignitaries might try to kidnap her to repeat the cleansing ritual in their lands should it be very successful.

Their peace was shattered as the door slid open and the room filled with water. Shouting out for Yui in her panic, Chihiro sloshed her way over to the crane spirit who was manipulating the water away from them. Gliding in upon the water, Hana and Shoko made their grand entrance.

"Master Haku, Master Haku," the foreman's voice rang out as the fat spirit labored in his quick pace upward. Slamming into the last elevator, he impatiently tapped his socked foot as it rose higher. Racing into Haku's office without knocking, he called again for the master of the bathhouse urgently.

"What is it," Haku asked as he rounded the corner of the desk already on high alert.

"She knows! Hana-sama knows that Lin has been covering for Chihiro." His mind darted as he thought of scenarios to ease the situation. Haku was more surprised that she hadn't sent a servant to complain on her behalf. "And she is heading to the shrine straightaway to punish her."

Haku slammed out of the room and transformed as he ran off the balcony. Flying quickly towards the shrine, he could only hope that he was in time to stop whatever chaos was occurring.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Haku could hear the cacophony of rising voices as he approached the shrine. Landing down and transforming back to his human form beside Yui's well, he took note of the situation. Yui and Chihiro were standing together on the walkway while Hana-chan and her right hand fish Shoko were floating in murky volatile water within the practice room. Instantly, Hana focused her yelling towards him as he walked forwards to get in between the two hostile groups.

"She has been avoiding the tasks that I have assigned her! How can you allow such an insolent rude creature in your bathhouse?"

"Chihiro is the honored dancer for the cleansing ritual! She doesn't have time for your petty games fish! Go back to your water where you belong!"

"How dare you speak to me like that? And don't think I will allow you to lie so openly about such an important matter. I will crush this shrine down to the gravel beneath it if the ceremony is not performed by a pure subject."

"I have been training hard for this, Hana-sama and will undergo the mandatory purification ritual the night before as tradition holds." All three of their voices grew in noise as they bickered and Haku closed his eyes as he tried to listen to all of them.

"Enough," Haku shouted over them and all fell silent. Hana was the first to recover and begin speaking again.

"Kohaku, surely you can't allow this to continue. She hasn't been punished for her insolence and has frankly skirted her duties as a staff member of the bathhouse."

"Hana-san, Chihiro is working at the bathhouse temporarily as my PERSONAL assistant and at my behest, will not take tasks brought forward by anyone else. As such the tasks were forwarded over to other staff members to accommodate your wishes."

"You couldn't have consented to her participation in the cleansing ceremony. Please tell me the crane is lying. You wouldn't make a mistake like that. She is a weasel for kami's sake!"

"Chihiro has worked hard since her arrival to master the ceremony and will be a suitable partner when the time comes to perform."

"Hana-chan is known for having some of the purest cleansing magic in all of the Wetlands. She is a better candidate for the performance than a mongrel from the West and could easily learn the entirety of the ceremony in only a few hours," Shoko said calmly as Hana twisted water irately about her fins.

"Of course I could do the ceremony with you Kohaku. It would mean the world to me to be on that stage with you and cleanse the land with the power of our combined magic," Hana added on as she tried to turn up her charm towards him by batting her eyelashes in his direction. Yui made a loud sound of disgust at the display.

"Hold on a second here. Chihiro here has been working for weeks on this dance. There is no way you would be able to master it with the relics before the ceremony."

"Hold your tongue you zealous bird." The shouting began in full again and Haku caught only bits of it as he put a hand to his head.

"Wait until my friends back at the Capital hear about this or my father. My father will have something to say about this I assure you."

"Well you can tell your father and your friends to come visit me anytime and I will show them exactly what happens when you mess with a delta spirit."

"This is absolutely ridiculous. I have come too far for you to just show up and take this away."

"Shoko has a point," Haku stated calmly as four sets of eyes directed their attention onto him. A drop of water could have fallen and sounded like a box of dropped bells in the silence that followed Haku's words. Instantly he regretted the decision, but if he took it back now Hana would definitely complain and bring down trouble. He couldn't bring himself to even look at Chihiro, already smelling the shift in her moods and knowing exactly how betrayed she would look. "The ceremony at the Lotus bathhouse is basically the same minus the relics, right Watari-san?"

"Yes," the crane admitted begrudgingly as her feathers settled down slightly from her ruffled position. The sound of rain drops beginning to fall outside and the shift of air pressure inside the shrine made it apparent that it was time for her to leave. Yui's brow became wet with sweat in her effort to remain planted in the room and not leave for the human world that instant.

"Then it's settled. Hana will perform the ceremony with me without the relics and Chihiro will be the backup in case something happens."

"What about all that I have put into this," Chihiro whispered but the sound of her voice rang loudly in the room. Yui put a wing around Chihiro and glared at Haku and Hana to the fullest extent.

"I hope you are happy now, Haku. Just remember that when you sleep with the devil you can't expect to wake up in heaven." Ushering Chihiro down the walkway away from the practice room, Yui held her head high with dignity.

"If it helps you cope better Chihiro, think of it as a gift," Haku called after them, "Now you can enjoy the festival to the fullest."

Yui managed to get Chihiro back to her personal room and sit her down on a cushion before erecting a barrier around the room. Turning her attention to the shocked, angry, heartbroken, confused, and betrayed human, she was at a loss of words to comfort her. The sound of rain pouring down could be heard and Yui was obviously in discomfort as she tried to fight the urge to go.

"I should have expected as much from him. Why would he put me first when he could be with her?" Looking up from her seat, Chihiro's eyes watered over onto her cheek.

"You know it isn't like that, Chihiro. We both know that Haku favors you above all others. Even his water sings praises in your name."

"If he really felt that way, then why would he betray me like this? I hate that fish and he knows it. Why would he give the dance to her?"

"He was just probably just trying to protect you in his own twisted way. I know it's hard to understand right now while you are upset, but there is so much more at stake than he is letting on. You should go talk to him after you calm down and sort this out. Maybe some sort of compromise can be made."

Chihiro mutely nodded her head and wiped the tears away. Glancing up at Yui she could see the pale state the crane was in. "I know you have to go. I can hear the rain from here."

"It's not that I don't want to stay, Chihiro. I don't want to leave you alone like this," Yui remarked as she preened a few sweaty feathers nervously. The weather was beginning to take its toll on her. "It's just…I made a contract. When it rains, I can't help returning to that place. No matter how long I live, I will always leave here when it rains."

"A true fair weather friend," Chihiro joked in poor taste. Yui grimaced at her words and hugged the girl closely.

"I will summon Lin here to be with you. Be strong, Chihiro. Don't give up hope and if all else fails, remember you can always return home. Sometimes it is just easier to forget the memories you don't wish to remember than live with them every day."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-..

Haku could sense Chihiro's presence in the apartment as he and the foreman entered into his office that afternoon. Eagerly waving the spirit into the chair before his document covered desk, he moved quickly onto the other side. The faster he could finish submitting these reports to the foreman, the faster he could go talk to Chihiro and apologize. If he could just sit her down and explain why he had to do what he did this morning without exposing their relationship, he would feel the worlds better. In the meantime, the guilt would continue to eat him alive. Surely she would understand that he hadn't taken away the responsibility out of spite, but rather for their mutual safety. There would be no issue conducting the ceremony with the koi fish and now she would be free to enjoy the festival to her heart's content under his watchful eye. Submerging himself into updating the foreman, they were only halfway through the documents when a knock interrupted them. Calling for the person to come in, Haku stood up as Hana and two maids floated in. Haku couldn't ignore the way the foreman gulped nervously across from him.

"Kohaku, I wish to speak to you privately regarding a very important matter." Her maids seemed to seep into wall behind their mistress and she looked haughtily at the foreman.

"Master Haku, I would be happy to return at a later time if it would please you." Stepping out from around his desk, Haku leaned casually against it as he addressed his man.

"No that won't be necessary foreman. Hana-sama knows that guests are not permitted in my quarters and our meeting takes priority. If you will stand over there, I will erect a sound barrier around you and the maids so that I may speak with her privately for a moment. We can continue after that." Nodding his consent, the foreman retreated towards the entrance to the office and watched the bubble like film separate the office in half.

"I thought I should let you know that you have a spy for the Tainted within the bathhouse." Haku felt his heart squeeze in fear for the fraction of a second before forcing himself to relax. He knew his staff, and he could think of no one who would betray him or the bathhouse in that manner. "As you know my network of sources reaches from the far reaches of the North to the blistering deserts of the South, I would not lie to you on the matter."

"I will take your words into consideration and investigate myself. Thank you for your concern."

"My sources told me one other thing…," lowering her eyes she floated within an arms' reach of him. Her water gushed about his feet trying to lap him up, but he stood his ground with ease. Within seconds the water retracted from him as if spanked and returned to its master. Speaking to him as if she was telling him gossip that was almost too incredulous to believe, she lowered her voice before speaking. "They said you were in love with a human and that you were hiding her here in the bathhouse. Isn't that the most ridiculous thing?"

Haku felt his blood run cold and he worked hard to keep his face impassive. In the back of his mind, he was mentally screaming in concern and fear, but outwardly he seemed unmoved by the news. Smiling at her coyly, Haku reached out a hand and gentle caressed one of her long flowing fins. He could play this off. Haku could lie his way out of this and put her off Chihiro's tracks. Inside he grimaced at what he was about to do. Shooting a quick prayer to the kami above, Haku smirked flirty at Hana who nearly purred at his affectionate gaze.

"Do you really believe that I would be interested in a human," Haku brought the fin to his lips and placed a gentle kiss upon it, "when I could be with a spirit like you?"

"I didn't think so either and rumors can often be wrong. Besides where would you hide such a fragile creature," Hana laughed awkwardly, but the gears were still turning in her head as she spoke aloud, "but then again, you did protect that ugly weasel spirit this morning. We both know she did not deserve the honor you bestowed upon her."

"And did I not correct that mistake by giving you the dance? You will be exactly what we need on Sunday." The slight pout on her lips told him she wasn't completely sold on his act. He needed her to remain folded in his hand, otherwise there would be more lives at risk than just Chihiro's and his own. "Then let me erase any doubts you may have about my intentions."

Teasing the fin gently forward about him, Haku wrapped his arms around the koi fish and kissed her. Melting into his embrace, Hana threw herself forward against him pushing their bodies into the stacks of papers on his desk. Her fins wrapped and explored about his body as Haku kept the kiss going with a fake enthusiasm. As the sound of papers hitting the ground faded, he could hear a gasp. The sound of a tea cup shattering on the ground broke the two of them apart and their labored breathing was the only noise in the room. From the corner of Haku's eyes he could see the foreman's dropped jaw from behind the silence barrier. This would undoubtedly be all over the bathhouse by morning. Chihiro's mouth open and shut silently as she tried to come up with words to say, her dropped tea cup a breath away from her feet. Hana was the first to recover.

"What the hell is she doing in here?"

"There's no need to be so worked up Hana. Chihiro was just organizing the evening reports from each department on the dining room table as I had instructed her. I didn't think she would finish up this quickly. Chihiro-san, you are dismissed. Lin should be waiting for you back in her room." Chihiro looked back at him confused, but set her lips into a hard line. With a sweep of his hand, Haku returned the cup to its previous whole state and levitated it onto the desk. The previous tea occupant disappeared as if sucked in by the carpet.

"I apologize for the interruption, Master Haku," Chihiro grated out and with a half-assed bow, "I forgot one last thing and I will be out of your hair for the evening." Haku blatantly ignored her as he tried to soothe Hana-sama. Though he was grateful for the interruption, there could not have been a worse person to have walked in. There would be hell to pay when he tried to explain this. Cooing sweet nothings into Hana's ear hole in hopes of being believable, Haku stealthily tracked Chihiro as she left her bedroom and made her way towards the exit.

"I just can't stand her," Hana said loudly as Chihiro moved steadily towards the silence barrier and the exit, "both her and her sister should be sleeping down in the soot where they belong. I hear their homeland has been constantly burning since the famine started."

"So it has," Haku remarked as he watched his girl slip through the barrier with ease from his position over Hana's head. The foreman seemed to say something to her that made her stop and stare at him. Whatever she said in response brought a frown to his lips and she walked out the door without looking back. The sound of the wounded bell cried out in her wake and Haku knew that there wouldn't be time to catch her or finish his meeting with the foreman. "Unfortunately, it seems we have wounded arriving and I am needed downstairs. We will have to continue this another time when we don't have as many interruptions."

Pouting irately, Hana considered arguing, but decided she had won enough for one day. She had after all scored a kiss from the master of the bathhouse and that meant she was one step closer to her goal of marrying him. Nodding her head as if she were demure, Hana retracted her fins and let her eyes eat him over as he took down the silence barrier. Hurrying to instruct the foreman on the last of his reports, Haku made his way into the bowels of the bathhouse.


	29. Chapter 28

Rather than wait until I compile something long enough to warrant a normal chapter I'm going to do this next part in shorter chapters that way I can post them more rapidly. Sometimes its just so much fun watching things go to hell in a hand basket. :) I promise that things will get better before I kick them off the metaphorical cliff again.

Things achieved since the last chapter-

Chapters written: technically 1

Fanfictions read: 7

School Essays completed: 0 out of 9

Exams taken: 2 (with perfect or near perfect scores on them)

Hours worked: 50+ hours

Ideas for new stories in other fanfiction categories: 2 (Valkyria Chronicles, OHSHC)

Number of new poll votes: 0

Dance breaks around my room to procrastinate working on anything: 8

I will be heading to a convention in Michigan in the upcoming weeks as a gift to myself before I go into the crazy that will be the next few months. I'm going to be cosplaying as Haruhi Fujioka and Alice from Madness Returns. I enjoyed the reviews and messages you guys left. Thanks for the support and I hope to surprise you in the upcoming chapters as we come to a close.

 **Chapter 28:**

Hikaru watched the bathhouse staff drag wounded spirits into the infirmary through the afternoon and late into the night. Helping out where he could, he gave up his bed for another suffering soul and kept busy. Even though Yui had forbid him from leaving the infirmary until the following morning, he felt like he was more than ready to be checked out. It felt like he had seen enough horror in the span of his recovery to haunt him for the rest of his days. Unfortunately for him, Yui had misinterpreted his zeal for leaving as a plan to escape and the small band about his ankle would insure he did not leave the basement area before midmorning the next day. Following the flow of patients coming in from the docks, he helped another staff member carry a wounded frog spirit into the hospice ward. That room still gave him the chills, especially when he thought of how none of them would probably ever see the exterior of that room again. Leaving it quickly, he began walking towards the dock entrance where the flow of patients seemed to be ebbing. Passing by an unused corridor, he stopped in surprise when he heard familiar voices speaking. Curiosity getting the best of him, Hikaru slowly walked down the corridor listening as he approached.

"I have a few choice words for you regarding that incident with Chihiro yesterday morning."

"Not now Lin, the next bell should be going off any moment and there is no time for us to be arguing." The sound of footsteps moving away sounded, but were halted as the weasel spoke again.

"These patients are from Swamp Bottom and most of them are asking after Zeniba." Hikaru's brow knitted in confusion as he wondered about the implications of the words. He had never heard of a place by that name, but it must have held some sway since the footsteps turned around and returned to where they came from. "They wanted to know if Zeniba survived the attack since apparently she held off the Tainted for them to escape. Now how could that be if she is supposed to be at the Capital finding a way for Chihiro to go back home safely?"

Hikaru felt a light bulb over his head go off as he briefly recalled Chihiro mention a witch searching for information for her. All she had been waiting for before returning home was news from this witch.

"Zeniba found nothing to keep Chihiro safe in the human world. She returned back to defend Swamp Bottom weeks ago."

"You haven't told Chihiro that. She has been living here under the belief that Zeniba would return with an answer for her. Were you just never going to tell her? Haku, what were you thinking?!"

"Shhh, keep your voice down," he admonished, "I was going to tell her after the festival when I sat down and explained everything."

"No, no, no, Haku you can't wait that long. If she finds out that you've been lying to her on top of all that you've done in the past 24 hours, she won't agree to stay. Hell after this morning, she might not agree to it anyways." Haku mentally grimaced as he thought about the additional fuel he had just thrown onto the metaphorical fire. Wait until Lin heard about that…he would have to be watching his back so a knife didn't wind up through it.

"I'll go talk to her in the morning. It's an absurd hour to be waking her. She is sleeping in your room right now right?"

"Probably. I haven't seen her this afternoon since I have been helping out down here. Haku, what will you do if she refuses to stay?" There was a pregnant pause as he considered his answer.

"Then I will force her into a contract until I can get her to see our way. I can't afford for her to go running off at a time like this. There will be time to sort everything out after the festival, but until then I need to focus on keeping her under the radar and everyone else occupied." Hikaru backed away in horror and quickly retreated back to the infirmary. He needed to tell Chihiro what he had heard, but there was no way for him to reach her without magic or him leaving the infirmary. He could try sending a message with one of the staff members heading back upstairs, but there was no guarantee they could find her. Pacing in front of the infirmary door deep in thought, he nearly fell on his ass when a substantial weight slammed against his chest. Steadying himself against the door frame, Hikaru held onto Chihiro who was trying to right herself.

"Sorry about that, I got a little overexcited when I saw you and tripped over my own feet. Where have you been? I've been looking everywhere for you." Looking both ways quickly and seeing that they were in the clear, Hikaru wrapped his arm around her shoulders and began hurrying her towards the opposite end of the maze than where he had overheard the other two. The sound of the wounded bell began again and Chihiro covered her ears as they passed deeper into the dark maze. "Hey, what's going on? Hikaru, what's the matter?"

"You need to get out of here," Hikaru warned as he pulled them to a stop in a dead end of the maze. "You got to return back to the human world. Lin and Haku have been lying to you. The witch you said you were waiting for isn't coming back. She was killed in a battle for her home."

"Wait how could that be when her home is in Swamp Bottom-"

"And she was supposed to be at the Capital? I know. I don't know what else they've been lying to you about, but you must return home. It's the only way to escape them." Chihiro silently nodded her head as everything became more certain in her mind. The bag that hid her scent had the clothes and shoes she needed to return. She had grabbed them in her anger earlier when she had caught Haku and Hana together. Still it felt wrong to leave suddenly and so she had paced in Lin's empty room indecisively. Finally she decided to head down to the infirmary and talk with Hikaru about the day's events, but brought the bag along unconsciously.

"That's what I was coming to tell you. Today has been terrible and I'm not sure if staying around is really the right thing anymore. I've got my clothes and was considering making a run for the tunnel."

"Good. Then I'll show you another exit from this basement so you can escape unnoticed." Chihiro stopped him as he turned to leave.

"Come with me, Hikaru. If you really meant what you said the other night then there's no need for a contract between us. Obviously I won't remember you or anything that happened here when I go through the portal, but if we go together surely we could become friends again on the other side right?" Hikaru looked down guiltily at the band that Yui had placed the other day and Chihiro's eyes followed his down to look at it. "What is that?"

"Yui thought I might leave early and get myself reinjured. It will disappear tomorrow midmorning allowing me to leave this basement."

"Then I'll wait. We can leave together then."

"No Chihiro it isn't safe." Hikaru ran a paw through the fur on top of his head as he quickly tried to think of a solution. "Look, Haku was talking about binding you in a contract as soon as he found you. If you get into a contract with him there will be no way for you to escape. The rules prevent me from breaking someone else's magic so even if I could remember my magic I couldn't save you from that."

Chihiro's mouth gaped in outrage and horror. Haku knew the importance of contracts, the two of them had been contracted to Yubaba to serve in the bathhouse together, but to think he would use it against her as well was frightening. The night he had used his magic to freeze her came to mind and her blood ran cold. Hikaru was right. Chihiro needed to flee the bathhouse.

.-.-.-..-.-.-.-.-.

Crisp sunny afternoon air swirled past Chihiro as she slowly made her way around the edges of the ghost town. By now, the majority of the spirits would be long asleep, but it was always better be safe than sorry. The wind had the slightest chill in it, reminding her that fall would be coming soon. It seemed like nearly a life time since her date with Haku in the garden and an eternity since her arrival. Time in the spirit world seemed to flow in a rhythm different than that of the human world. Her mind thought over her last few words with Hikaru before he saw her off through the side door of the basement.

 _"I'm going to go now," Chihiro had said after pulling back from the hug. His sudden embrace had warmed her cheeks in surprise and she had hugged him back in the moment. He was a good friend and it was a shame they wouldn't be leaving here together. "You promise you will come find me on the other side?"_

 _"Of course," he had smiled sadly, "you don't need a binding to find something that is important to you."_

His words rang through her mind as she broke away from the afternoon shadows of the town and slowly picked her way over the uneven stairs into the grass below. Despite the bright sun shining down on her, she felt exhausted and her bag cut slightly into her shoulder from its regular presence there over the past few days. The remnants of the train station towered ever closer and she felt the weight in her heart weigh all the heavier. Just thinking about how deeply she had felt for Haku and how he betrayed her in so many ways had hurt more than she cared to admit. Hikaru didn't even know the half of it. Right now he was probably peacefully sleeping in his large bed without a thought for her, but none of that mattered anymore. Within a couple of minutes she would be in the station, change into her clothes and quickly pass through the barrier without a glance back. The moment she stepped back into her world these memories would all be gone and she would be back to her old life. The sunlight washing over Chihiro became eclipsed in shadow, but she walked on without noticing.


	30. Chapter 29

I have made up my mind regarding the results of the poll and even though there weren't enough votes, I have prepared for you a double release. Today it rained and gave me the last little push I needed to finish editing these chapters. I will be taking a lot of trips in the upcoming weeks as I try to prepare for my move down to the Dominican Republic which means either a. no writing or b. all the writing and then some. Thanks for all of your wonderful reviews and messages! I can't tell you how proud it makes me to have gotten over 100 reviews.

For those of you that may struggle with the quick moving scenes in this chapter, the italicized writing is memory and the normal writing is present.

 **Chapter 29:**

Protective cool flesh wrapped around Chihiro protecting her from the ground as she was slammed from behind into the grass. Unable to hold back her scream in panic, she twisted around trying to free herself from the silver coils trapping her. Within seconds, the dragon flesh disappeared and the exact man she was running from held her pinned in the grass. Scrambling beneath him in her panic, Chihiro tried anything she could think of to free herself.

"I know you aren't happy with me, Chihiro," Haku grumbled as he blocked her cheap groin shot and finally dropped the entirety of his body weight on her to keep her still. He knew it would be much easier to use magic to restrain her, but something about their previous experiences together told him that she would take an even greater offense to that. "Look we need to talk."

"Like hell we do. I got nothing to say to you."

"You think sneaking out of the safety of the bathhouse in the middle of the night is not something to talk about?"

"Not when it concerns a backstabbing, shallow bastard like you."

"Look, I'm sorry about what happened with Hana. We should have talked about it first."

"You have been telling me over and over again that you didn't want me. It should have come as no surprise that you were with her."

"No, I'm not together with her. It's a misunderstanding."

"You were kissing her Haku! That make out session was not a mistake. Let me go, Haku. I'm done. I'm rolling the dice and going back to my world."

"No, you aren't. Please, I swear to you that I'm not dating Hana. I love you!" Freeing an arm, she halfheartedly swung a punch at him, but he dodged it and flipped them over so she was on top.

"I deserve better than this Haku. I deserve someone who will be honest and respect me and respect what we have together!"

"Just give me five minutes to explain everything before you go running off through the portal. Just five minutes and I'll let you go without a fight." Haku laid his arms flat on the grass and looked up at her. She was straddling his belly easily and was looking back at him with hurt and disgust. It pained him deeply to see her like this, and knowing he had caused it wasn't helping his conscious. "If it would really cool your anger to hit me, then hit me, but please just listen to me one last time."

Chihiro looked back at him silently weighing her options. She didn't trust him, not one bit, but if she ignored him and tried to leave again he would simply pin her or use magic to take her back unwillingly to the bathhouse. Chihiro didn't even feel the tears run down her cheek as she looked down at him. Her heart hurt so much and she felt like she was falling apart. A moment of silence passed between them before Haku took her lack of movement as consent. Slowly raising his hand, he gently caressed her cheek and began to show her what he should have showed her weeks ago.

 _Chihiro could see fog at the edges of her vision as her body lumbered forward from the side of the bathhouse towards the bridge. It was hard to find the words to describe what she was experiencing. For one thing, she wasn't controlling her body movements. There was a murmur of someone's voice debating things quietly in the background of her head as if her thoughts were not her own, but she wasn't certain what they were saying or who they were. Chihiro could feel a heavy weight bearing down upon her shoulders and a resounding cold emptiness rattling soundlessly within her chest. It was as if she were void of any emotion beside the small hint of curiosity that was pushing her forward. Trying to listen to the voice speaking, she caught the words human, Yubaba, and pig. As she passed out of the shadow of the bathhouse into the walkway in front of the bridge, Chihiro caught a glimpse of herself off the reflective surface of a nearby window. Haku looked back at her in the reflection uninterested before continuing towards the bridge. Within moments Chihiro finally realized what was happening. She was not just seeing Haku's memories, no she was actually reliving them inside of him. Chihiro could feel his emotions as if they were her own._

 _Before she had time to process the situation completely, they reached the foot of the bridge. Haku stopped in shock as he stared at her ten year old form. It was obvious he was expecting a human from her wafting smell, but seemed completely blindsided by her presence anyways. She, on the other hand, was busy looking curiously over the rail at the train passing by. Chihiro could feel the outright confusion swarm his senses as recognition filled him. A whisper of her name passed loudly through his thoughts and he seemed all the more confused by this. The moment his mind had called forth her name it was as if the blank canvas that was his empty emotional state had bled forth a deep red. He knew her name, from where he did not know, but that didn't keep him from breaking part of the magic enclosing his heart and feeling for her. Had he not signed his name and past away to Yubaba? Yet the human before him was bringing forth a foreign warmth, almost like a sense of nostalgia that whispered he belonged to her and she to him. But how could he know some human? The confusion gave away to anxiety and fear as he realized the sun was nearly down and with that, the return of Yubaba was imminent._

 _Haku sent out magic that would slow the opening process for the bathhouse and considered going inside to give her more time to escape the Spirit World. Glancing at the sun he realized that Yubaba and the bathhouse wouldn't be the trap that would catch her. He had not thought of the river in his haste. Moving quickly through the town he hunted for her scent. Catching it past a food shop that was handling a pair of ravaging pigs, Haku brushed past the awakening spirits as he followed it out of town. He had to get to her before Yubaba found her or she disappeared completely. The relief that poured over him when he spotted her crouching form on the outskirts of town was like a sudden rain upon a drought ridden field. As he reached out a hand to grasp her shoulder, Chihiro could feel the bubbling warmth surging forward against Yubaba's magic within him. It felt so right to him that he had to stop from himself from wrapping the crying girl in a hug._

 _The fog tightened around Chihiro's vision and suddenly she found herself staring at the inside of an elevator. Haku's chilled voice reminded her ten year old self not to speak to him so informally, but it did not match the feeling in his heart. In all honesty Haku was scared for her, scared that someone might find out that she meant something to him and hurt her. Though he wasn't quite sure how Chihiro fit into his past or why she made him feel again, he knew that he wouldn't let any harm to come her. Haku would make sure that Chihiro and her parents returned safely to the human world, as he had promised her. A small voice questioned why he would send away the only person that had given him feeling again after what seemed like an eternity of emptiness. His spoken harsh words cut into Chihiro and he could smell her confusion and disappointment in the air. Desperately he wanted to explain to her that it was all an act for her safety, but this was not the place. Yubaba has eyes everywhere and there is truly no safe place in a bathhouse full of spirits. As they stepped out of the elevator and descended into the depths of the bathhouse, he put on an air of nonchalance as he addressed the staff. Purposefully assigning her to one of the few bathhouse staff members he could rely upon, Haku frowned at Chihiro's turned back as she walked away without a second glance back._

 _The fog enclosed her and swept her away into darkness. Haku's mental voice seemed sluggish if it was there at all, as his vision slowly returned. The darkened boiler room greeted his sleepy eyes and he turned on the futon to look at the sound of the snoring beside him. Slowly getting up, Haku woke up Kamaji. Though Chihiro tried to listen, whatever they were saying was lost on her. It was as if the connection between her and the memories was becoming loose. Despite that, Chihiro could still feel his feelings. When Haku awoken from the darkness that grasped him tightly, the weight that had been bearing down on him all this time was gone. The enchantment that was keeping him obedient to Yubaba and empty of emotion was broken. Whatever Kamaji told Haku rattled him to the core, but didn't surprise him. The idea of loving a human was not a foreign concept to him, in fact he seemed unusually accepting of it as if he had had the time to come to terms with it on a previous occasion. No, it was the open admission that Chihiro loved him back that took the icing on the cake. Before his mind could consider all of the difficulties that such a relationship could entail, Kamaji finally answered Haku's question as to where Chihiro was. Gasping in horror, Haku's mind reeled as it went through rescue plans and how this changed everything. If he rushed after Chihiro as he was inclined to do, it would reveal to Yubaba that he was no longer under her control. It wouldn't take long for Yubaba to backtrack and figure out that Chihiro was the cause of his change. She would be in danger and there would be nothing he could do about it. Tearing apart his memories for anything that could help him, he began to recall parts of what happened after he flew into the bathhouse wounded. Realizing that there was a one in a lifetime chance, Haku moved like lightening towards the head of the bathhouse. Without his name, Haku had no chance of break his contract as Yubaba's apprentice, but that didn't mean he couldn't make a deal with the devil to get Chihiro her freedom._

Blinking back to reality, Chihiro's blurred vision cleared as she returned to the present and her position staring down at Haku. His gentle hand was still caressing her face and he was breathing quickly as if he had run a long distance. Closing his eyes as if to summon more energy from within, he pulled her face towards his. Weaving both hands into her hair, Haku leaned her forehead against his and pushed his magic forward to immerse her again.

 _The fog now seemed familiar to Chihiro and laid back steadily at the edges of her vision. It was strange to see how Haku saw her in comparison to what she briefly remembered about their experiences together._

 _"Will we meet again sometime," Chihiro asked with a worried voice. Her ten year old self turned away from the expanse of green grassy knolls to look at Haku. Chihiro could see the hope of seeing her parents and getting back to her world had lit up her eyes. The fake smile that Haku was putting forth didn't reflect into his eyes, but she wasn't paying attention to that. Inside, Haku was raging a fierce battle between declaring his feelings and begging her to stay or taking the higher road to leave. It was too dangerous to keep her here and yet with all of his heart, he yearned for her to stay with him. The palate of his emotional canvas was ripe with waves of blue longing, red love, and green hope. Hope that someday he could see her again, if even for a moment. Swirls of cold black reality creeped in from the corners and began to overtake the green._

 _"Sure we will," he lied smoothly. With his river filled in, he knew he had no way back to the human world to see her and yet he couldn't bring himself to tell her that they would never meet again. Her eyes were filled with excitement and happiness, how could he mention it now? Besides, she belonged in the human world, not the spirit world. This was her chance to return with a clean break. In time she would forget all that had happened there and her life would move on. The barrier between the worlds would make sure of that. The question was could he forget her again?_

 _"Promise?"_

 _"Promise. Now go and don't look back." Haku felt her warm hand slide out of his and his fingers grasped after the loss. He reached after her, almost about to stop her. Haku wanted her to stay, to abandon her world and family, and stay with him. Watching her walk out of sight, he felt the pain of loss in his chest and his hand dropped back down to his side. The ache of his sadness struck Chihiro like a snow laden breeze on an early Fall day and she felt a small tear escape to linger down her cheek. Like clockwork, she had followed his wish and didn't turn back. If she had, Chihiro would have saw the broken man she left behind._

 _The fog held Chihiro longer this time about, as if it needed time to compose itself before moving onto the next memory. Chihiro herself was shook up after it as well and as her anger abated, confusion took its place. When the fog finally cleared, there was a loud celebration at hand. It appeared as if the bathhouse staff were celebrating in one of the larger conference rooms. Haku's emotions were calm and proud, but there was still a lingering sadness painting his emotions a tint of blue. Chihiro caught a glimpse of a large banner on the wall and tried to read it briefly as Haku's vision turned to focus on Zeniba. It seems this was the celebration party for Haku's release from his apprenticeship and official promotion to partial owner of the bathhouse._

 _"Congratulations Haku on a job well done. I'm so proud of you."_

 _"Thank you Zeniba. I will do my best to work hard from here on out."_

 _"She would be proud of you as well, you know," Zeniba hinted quietly before patting his shoulder gently. "I know you still miss her."_

 _Haku mentally wondered aloud if his thoughts were obvious to everyone present, but squashed it when she smiled at him knowingly. Though he wasn't the ice prince he was before, Haku had yet to fully open up to the staff. Many didn't understand what happened between him and their short lived human staff member, and he didn't care to enlighten them either._

 _"Come with me Haku. I have a present for you." Together the two of them walked away from the party and returned to a small apartment near the top of the bathhouse. Clearing off the table of its papers, Haku watched Zeniba pull a shallow stone bowl out of a small pocket hidden in the belt of her dress. Placing it on the table, she smiled as she asked him if he knew what it was._

 _"Not in the slightest," Haku admitted before she cackled. Her laughter grated on his nerves and he wondered how such a pathetic looking bowl could be of any use to him._

 _"Call your water forth and lay it in the bowl. I will do the rest." Following her instructions, Haku summoned a small handful of water and placed it in the bowl. Adding several spells and ingredients to the bowl, Zeniba worked over it for several minutes before leaning back so he could see. Within the greasy water, Chihiro could see herself working on some paperwork on top of her old college desk._

 _"How can you-"_

 _"It won't work all the time, but every few months it will store up enough residual energy to show you her. It's the best I can do for now." Haku was moved by her actions and was speechless as his hand softly touched the rim of the bowl. Ignoring the slight tremble in his touch, he retracted his hand and swiftly hid it into his pocket._

 _"I appreciate the efforts you went through to find and make this for me, but I'm sorry to say I can't accept it." Turning his back on the image he longed to see, Haku frowned in pain. "I have decided to let her go and focus solely on the future. Seeing her would only make this separation more difficult."_

 _Nodding her head yes in understanding, Zeniba sighed as she watched the image disappear. Her gift to Haku hadn't necessarily been just for him. After all, she missed her granddaughter significantly too._

 _"I will leave it here for you, in case you change your mind. Simply tuck it away in a corner for some other time."_

 _The room seemed to blur as if time was passing, but the fog didn't consume her to hide it. She could see Haku checking the bowl regularly despite his own protests. A glimpse of her reading in the library, an image of her having a drink alone at the bar, so little it seemed to her, yet to him so much. The blurring stopped as Haku anxiously paced in front of the shards of the bowl. It appeared as if the bowl was shattered beyond repair._

 _"Zeniba, I don't understand. Why would it suddenly break," Haku asked angrily of the image of Zeniba floating by the fireplace. Chihiro could recognize the small paper bird on the ground beneath her semi-translucent form. His anger and confusion was barely masking the sadness he felt at the loss._

 _"It seems Chihiro was in some sort of accident. The hair band we made to protect her used up all of its magic to save her life. She has nothing else from us that I could tap into to connect us."_

 _"What happens now? Surely we must be able to send her something else or something," Haku raged. His mind was a flurry of scattered thoughts and there was a hint of desperation in his voice._

 _"Chihiro is human, Haku. The next time something happens, she will die a human death as she was originally intended." Haku slammed his fist down into his desk and crumbled down into his chair. The foreboding of loss and helplessness was like a dark sea on a stormy night. Surely there was something more he could do for. Zeniba silently stepped forward towards him until she could place a hand upon his shoulder in support. "If you are not willing to accept her fate Haku, then you know what has to be done. Surely if we talk to the Capital-"_

 _"I won't allow it." His words silenced Zeniba and he brought his heavy head up to look at her. "I will not interrupt her life in the human world for my own selfish desires."_

 _A silence rang out between them as they both weighed their next words. Chihiro could feel the tension in the room thicken._

 _"Then you must accept the inevitability of her death. I can do no further to protect her from here. If you want me to seek out something that will help you forget her I can try, but we both know that it is futile. Love is the greatest magic of all." The apartment door slamming open interrupted them. Lin seemed frazzled as she charged into the space and closed the door behind her._

 _"Haku, a messenger from the Capital has arrived. He says to tell you that the General of the Western Plains has fallen and the land set a fire. As of the last report, the Tainted have taken up to the Alps."_

 _"So far," Zeniba asked in horror. The fear that laced her voice and Haku was instant. He was torn on a precipice between handling the prior discussion and the current situation at hand. Deciding that the bathhouse took priority in the moment, Haku focused on that and the implication that Lin's words had._

 _"Indeed. The Capital has declared war and asks us to begin emergency preparations. As the Eastern Bathhouse, we will be expected to take on the majority of the causalities in our region."_

 _"Where is the messenger now? I will go greet him."_

 _"Dead."_


	31. Chapter 29 continued

Part 2 of the double release. Remember, italicized writing is memory that Chihiro is viewing/experiencing and normal writing is present time.

.-.-.-..-.-.-.-..-.-.-

 _Fog swept Chihiro back into the darkness before finally melting away to reveal a torch lit plaza in moonlight. Spirits were shouting in a loud foggy cacophony as Haku made his way around the edge of the crowd. He purposefully kept his eyes from the center of the plaza and his thoughts were guarded as if he were worried someone might be watching them. Whatever was happening there amongst the spirits in the plaza it was obvious he didn't want to be a part of it. Government propaganda reminding spirits to purify daily scattered the closed store fronts that he passed. Chihiro tried to glance from the corner of his eyes towards the center of the plaza, but couldn't see what he had not looked up to see. Stopping in front of a large wooden door, he greeted the infamous koi fish that had been tormenting Chihiro since her glamorous arrival at the bathhouse._

 _"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Haku kept his face blank as he nodded silently. Mentally he spit at the woman and disagreed loudly, but outwardly he was as blank as a fresh slate. Blocking the entryway to the door, Hana motioned over his shoulder towards the center of the plaza indicating he should watch. Turning around slowly, Haku took in the six large fires catching momentum in the plaza. Screams of the victims trapped within the licking flames rang out over the chaos of cheering. Chihiro gasped in horror. Their shouts finally pierced the veil of his memory and reached her._

 _"Burn all the impure!"_

 _"Kill the humans!"_

 _"Filthy turnbloods will burn!"_

 _Jumping within his skin when Hana lightly touched Haku's shoulders, Chihiro felt herself cringe. "It's such a waste that we had to burn the humans as well. When I ratted them out to the Elders I had hoped that at least one of them wasn't fully bonded to their partners so we could use them for ceremonial sacrifices."_

 _"Yes, it's all quite a shame," Haku mildly replied as his heart clenched within. Guilt washed through him as he saw the bodies burning into the night sky. He loved a human and by their rules, should also be up on that chopping block to die. Yet here he stood, a free spirit with a powerful position, about to pick up a special box of elixirs to boost the effectiveness of the healing waters at the bathhouse from a well-known supplier in the Capital. Hana wrapped her fins suggestively about his waist, making Chihiro gag in disgust._

 _"You have sacrificed a human or two yourself, no? I hear that the power rush you get from the experience is quite addicting." Haku's mind became distant as if recalling the memories in question, but apparently chose to suppress them from view as he took in the scene before them. His eyes focused in on the charred hands of two victims reaching out of their painful cocoons towards each other and missing contact by a mere inch. Guilt and self-disgust darkened his mood further and he pulled away from her to resume his path inside._

 _"There are no words to describe the sensation."_

 _Chihiro was grateful when the fog took away the horrid scene and held the next memory for quite some time. The mixture of feelings was near unbearable as her mind put his memories together with his actions. After several long breaths, the fog cleared again but this memory was much faster than the ones before it. Haku was sitting at his desk doing paperwork when the sensation like that of a string being plucked shook him. Glancing upward in surprise, he abandoned his paperwork and transformed into his dragon form as he hurried out of the apartment. There was movement at the portal that required his attention. Flying towards where he had felt the breach in the magic, Haku's heart raced wildly. He could definitely smell a human that had an oddly familiar scent, not that he would get his hopes up, and the scent of a creature that reeked of death. Spotting the human hiding behind a bench, Haku instantly recognized the other as the cause of fear in the air. A Tainted host was stalking towards the human's hiding place with a malicious smirk. Roaring loudly, Haku dived with claws outstretched towards the walking dead. Carefully tearing the Tainted apart limb from limb with ease, Haku had nearly forgotten the human present. The scrape of cloth against stone behind him reminded him that he was not alone. Turning to look at the human, Haku felt his heart seize inside of his chest._

 _Chihiro had matured into a beautiful young lady in her years away. The muddied black heels and figure-hugging black pencil skirt highlighted the length of her long legs. A hint of cleavage peaked out of her maroon blouse as she tried to catch her breath and the loose folds of the material hinted at an hourglass shaped form beneath. Her brown hair was swept up into a messy bun revealing the pale flesh about her throat, pulsing with life and energy. To any other, she might have looked like a plain Japanese girl, but to Haku there was no creature in the worlds more beautiful than the woman before him. Seeing her there in front of him was like spotting her on the bridge all over again. All the years of trying to forget her and the feelings she inspired in him melted away in an instant. Chihiro could feel the depth of his emotions as he spent the moment trying to compose himself._

 _The fear in her eyes harshly reminded Haku that she did not remember him. Feeling instantly torn, Haku began to slowly walk towards her as he watched her body language change. Right now he was a blood spattered dragon slinking towards her, of course she would fear him! Wishing he had disposed of the Tainted in a less messy manner, Haku stopped a few feet away from her. Bowing deeply to her, Haku could see her begin to return the bow hesitantly and he quickly transformed while her head was down. Offering a hand towards her hesitantly, he called out her name. Perhaps she did remember him? She hadn't started running when he had approached. Wouldn't that have been the normal human response? The shock that raced through Chihiro at the sound of her name coming from a dragon-shifting man's lips short circuited whatever was left holding onto consciousness and her eyes rolled back into her head as she passed out. Catching her limp body before she could slide off the stone into the tracks below or hit her head on the platform, Haku panicked. Racing towards the bathhouse, he mentally berated himself. Something was obviously wrong with Chihiro, but he didn't know anything about healing humans! After all of these years, he should have thought to read a book or two on the subject just in case._

 _The fog rapidly began showing quick scenes as the vulnerability of his emotions began to show. He watched her folding laundry with Lin, saw her laughing with the foreman at dinner after work, and even caught a glimpse of her looking out at the sunrise from his balcony. Moments that she didn't even know that he had been around, he was there keeping an eye on her and longing for what they could not have. It settle into a memory of their outing to the maze garden. Chihiro could feel his nervousness and joy as he watched her stop to stare at a dahlia flower. She was so beautiful when she smiled that it was hard to hide the love he felt for her. He wanted to scream it out to the world and hold her close, but there was too much forgotten and too much at stake._

 _"It's called a dahlia."_

 _"It's quite beautiful." Haku stopped himself short of replying how its beauty could not compare to hers and following it up with a thousand other sappy romantic quips running around his head. Reminding himself that she wouldn't believe him if he said something like that anyways, he decided for a moment of honesty under guise._

 _"The moon tonight is beautiful, isn't it?" Chihiro looked up at the full moon above them as if to consider his statement in all honesty and smiled._

 _"Yes, it is." Haku smirked at her quiet response, and realized she had no idea the meaning of the words he just spoke. Perhaps the old Japanese saying was not common amongst the youngest generations of humans. Still his cryptic confession of love was just as casually accepted by her. Chihiro's jaw dropped open as she finally understood what he meant all those nights ago. He had told her he loved her and she had brushed him off in ignorance!_

 _When the fog began clouding her vision, Chihiro complained aloud wanting to see more of his thoughts from that memory. Instead, she got flashes of other memories and the feelings he felt in those moments. The passion he felt when he told her they couldn't be together and the desperation that gnawed away at him inside afterward. He showed her how he was filled with regret when he passed her unconscious body off to his river for her own safety. Haku lingered for just a moment on the day he removed the scales from her hair and how after she had fallen asleep, he had laid an arm's length away from her while she slept. The devotion and adoration he felt for her kept him there most of night before he finally found the strength to leave her side. The image his river had created of her adorned in silks he had woven, pearls he had created and scales he had grown, haunted him. Memories whipped by at a near impossible speed with their scattered emotions surrounding her. They reached a speed that she no longer could distinguish the memory and emotion and she wondered in fright if he had lost control of his magic._

 _"Haku," Chihiro cried out scared of the whirlwind about her. Dying down instantly, the fog and emotions shakily settled out into one final memory. Haku was seated in his office and had just erected a silence barrier for a private discussion with Hana-sama. Turning his attention to the koi fish, he kept his unease at bay._

 _"I thought I should let you know that you have a spy for the Tainted within the bathhouse." Haku felt his heart squeeze in fear for the fraction of a second before forcing himself to relax. He knew his staff, and he could think of no one who would betray him or the bathhouse in that manner. "As you know my network of sources reaches from the far reaches of the North to the blistering deserts of the South, I would not lie to you on the matter."_

 _"I will take your words into consideration and investigate myself. Thank you for your concern." Haku meant his words whole heartedly. If there was a leak at the bathhouse he would find it and seal it...permanently._

 _"My sources told me one other thing…," lowering her eyes she floated way too close for his comfort. Her water gushed about his feet trying to lap him up, but with a flick of his magic he sent it back to her. He had no interest in any water that laid its loyalty to her. Speaking to him as if they were sharing juicy gossip that was almost too incredulous to believe, she lowered her voice before speaking. "They said you were in love with a human and that you were hiding her here in the bathhouse. Isn't that the most ridiculous thing?"_

 _The panic and fear that seized Haku in that moment left Chihiro stricken. Images of the humans burning and Hana's enjoyment in their deaths ran through their collective mind. The situation had always been more complicated than Haku had led on, and now it was apparent how carefully he had been trying to protect her from it all. Composing himself quickly, he outwardly seemed unmoved by the news. Smiling at her coyly, Haku made a decision that he knew he was going to regret. There was only one thing that Hana wanted more than purity and recognition… and that was him. As arguably the most influential spirit in the Eastern wetlands, Haku knew that she, like many of the other women that sought him out, was looking to trap him into marriage for the power she would gain by it. If giving himself over temporarily to her would provide enough of a distraction to protect Chihiro then he would do it._

 _"Do you really believe that I would be interested in a human," Haku brought the slimy fin to his lips and touched his lips upon it, "when I could be with a spirit like you?"_

 _"I didn't think so either and rumors can often be wrong. Besides where would you hide such a fragile creature," Hana laughed awkwardly, but the gears were still turning in her head as she spoke aloud, "but then again, you did protect that ugly weasel spirit this morning. We both know she did not deserve the honor you bestowed upon her."_

 _"And did I not correct that mistake by giving you the dance? You will be exactly what we need on Sunday." The slight pout on her lips told him she wasn't completely sold on his act. He needed her to believe him in order for this to work. Setting his disgust aside, Haku resorted to his last ditch solution. "Then let me erase any doubts you may have about my intentions."_

 _Haku realized his mistake as soon as he heard papers hitting the ground across the room. The accompanying gasp and crash of a tea cup shattering on the ground only solidified his horror. From the corner of Haku's eyes he could see the foreman's dropped jaw from behind the silence barrier. This would undoubtedly be all over the bathhouse by morning. Chihiro had walked in on him kissing Hana, the same spirit he had just given her dance away to. The spike of anger and confusion in the air insulted his nose. Apologies were not going to cover this. She wouldn't understand, not after she so openly offered her heart to him._

 _"What the hell is she doing in here?"_

 _"There's no need to be so worked up Hana. Chihiro was just organizing the evening reports from each department on the dining room table as I had instructed her. I didn't think she would finish up this quickly. Chihiro-san, you are dismissed. Lin should be waiting for you back in her room." Haku instantly regretted his choice in words, but it was necessary to get her out of there. Hana could not know that she was living up here with him._

 _"I apologize for the interruption, Master Haku," Chihiro grated out and with a half-assed bow, "I forgot one last thing and I will be out of your hair for the evening." Haku blatantly ignored her as he tried to soothe Hana-sama. Fearing Hana's retaliation or worse that she would figure out Chihiro's species, Haku began laying affection on the koi spirit thickly. Cooing sweet nothings into Hana's ear hole in hopes of being believable, Haku stealthily tracked Chihiro as she left her bedroom and made her way towards the exit._

 _"I just can't stand her," Hana said loudly as Chihiro moved steadily towards the silence barrier and the exit, "both her and her sister should be sleeping down in the soot where they belong. I hear their homeland has been constantly burning since the famine started."_

 _"So it has," Haku remarked as he watched his girl slip through the barrier with ease from his position over Hana's head. The foreman seemed to say something to her that made her stop and stare at him. Whatever she said in response brought a frown to his lips and she walked out the door without looking back. The sound of the wounded bell cried out in her wake and Haku knew that there wouldn't be time to catch her or finish his meeting with the foreman. "Unfortunately, it seems we have wounded arriving and I am needed downstairs. We will have to continue this another time when we don't have as many interruptions."_

 _Nodding her head as if she were demure, Hana retracted her fins and let her eyes eat him over as he took down the silence barrier. Hurrying to instruct the foreman on the last of his reports, Haku watched Hana float silently away. He felt as if the world was crumbling down around him._

Chihiro left her eyes closed as the fog melted away and she became separated again from his memories. She could still feel his forehead against hers, though he was sweating significantly and his breaths were coming in forced long breaths. Opening her eyes slowly, she saw him for the first time as the man that he was. Glancing down to his slightly parted lips, Chihiro frowned at the myriad of emotions running through her head. Shakily getting to her feet, she took a deep breath of the sun warmed air. She ran a hand through her hair as she walked a few steps away. Keeping her back to him, Chihiro looked up at the blue sky above them with its puffy white clouds. Haku slowly opened his eyes and turned his head to look at her. Even now when she was about to walk away from him a second time, he couldn't help but be drawn in by her. Loving her was as easy as breathing, and denying it was like walking through fire. If these were going to be their last moments together then he would watch her walk away and cherish these last moments that he had with her. At least she had given him the opportunity to show her how he really felt and why he was doing the things that had been done. Letting out the breath she was unconsciously holding, Chihiro glanced at the ruins of the train station before turning to face the bathhouse.

"I will not sign a contract with you, Haku. Are we clear?" Haku sat up as he felt himself begin to hope. Could she possibly forgive him? There was still so much left unsaid between them. Would now be the time to bring up the rest? Deciding that spilling the rest of his secrets when she was on the precipice of leaving wouldn't help him in the situation, he kept his mouth shut.

"Clear as crystal."

"Then I'm going to go fix myself a drink with the bottle of whiskey sitting in your office and head to bed," Chihiro stated calmly as she looked over her shoulder at him, "I'd suggest you do the same."

Taking even steps across the grass, Chihiro began walking back in the direction of the bathhouse.


	32. Chapter 30

By hell or high water, I will finish this arc before the end of the year. It's taking a lot longer than I expected cause I get caught up in each scene I sit down to write and want to make sure that you as the readers can visualize what I see. Snickers the kitten has become a health young cat and is running around the house causing troubles. I think the most used quote of the year in my household is "Kitten! What are you doing?" in an exasperated tone. Work has been going well and it looks like I will be moving to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic by the end of the year to start my Spanish-immersion medical school. I have completed 5 out of 9 required school essays since the last update as well as another exam. In short, life is busy but good over here in my end of the world.

I would like to take a moment to say a special thanks to everyone who has private messaged me or left reviews since the last update. First off, we are past 100 reviews and I can't tell you how humbled I am by all of your kind words and support. More importantly though, each message makes my day and makes me excited to keep writing. When I get stuck at a scene and would rather go reread some mystery novel on my bookshelf, it is your messages that help me push through and keep at it. I save every message on my phone and when I feel stuck I read all of them again and feel re-energized. Thank you guys for making this story possible and supporting me in my writing.

Oh and good news, next chapter is the beginning of the long awaited festival. (puts on sunglasses and smirks) The party is finally getting started.

 **Chapter 30:**

Chihiro startled awake from an unrecallable nightmare and laid frozen to the bed as the rain poured outside. The delicate music of a bathhouse at work began to soothe away whatever adrenaline had pumped through her and she began to ease the tension in her muscles soundlessly. Looking around Chihiro felt a sense of déjà vu. Shaking the notion away, she got up and began getting ready for the day. Now that she wasn't practicing for the ceremony, what would she do with her time? Yui was gone, probably until the end of the festival, and Lin was likely in the infirmary covering for her. Hana was still out prowling the bathhouse, which gave her few options of activity if she hoped to avoid pointlessly working like a dog. Stepping out of her room to head downstairs, Chihiro spotted a small box in front of her door and noticed Haku behind his desk working on paperwork diligently. Glancing up at her, their eyes met and he opened his mouth as if to speak but no words came out. Chihiro looked away from him and walked past the package towards the door. She didn't want presents from him right now, it only felt like bribes to make her stay. There wasn't much she cared to speak to him about either, not when she wasn't sure how she felt. It was complicated. Closing the door quietly behind her, she slipped through the sieves of the bathhouse and carefully made her way towards the infirmary.

As she had predicted, Lin was busy fussing about the infirmary. It was easy to tell that this was not really her element, but she was trying her best. As soon as Chihiro walked into the room, Hikaru nearly vaulted out of the bed. The noose upon his ankle would be disappearing any moment now and he had been planning to head straight for the portal the second it did. What was she still doing in the bathhouse? Hikaru and Lin both spotted Chihiro at the same time.

"What did I tell you about running about the bathhouse alone? I was on my way up to come get you," Lin scolded as she put her hands on her hips. Chihiro's eyes met Hikaru's confused ones and she gave him a short nod in greeting.

"I figured you would be down here and thought I'd save you the trouble. Where can I help out?"

"Nowhere. You aren't supposed to be down here."

"Are you really going to send me back upstairs with Hana hunting for me?"

"Lin-sama, we are down to two boxes of bandages and one box of poultices. We also need fresh rain brought down from the gardens," one of the other staff members called out from by the supplies boxes. Frowning at the news, Lin considered her options. With a sigh, she finally relented.

"Fine, you can stay, but only until I can finish getting this place back under working order. It would be a great help to me if you could work on creating bandages and poultices to restock the boxes while I rally some staff to collect buckets. Just promise me you will stay away from the patients. Many of them haven't been stabilized since they were brought in yesterday."

"Not a problem," Chihiro replied as she walked towards the boxes. She could see Hikaru making his way over towards her as Lin turned her attention towards organizing the other staff members.

"What are you still doing here," he whispered as he picked up a chunk from the pile of gauze and began making a bandage beside her. Chihiro kept her eyes focused on her work as she replied to him.

"Haku and I have reached an understanding of sorts. I'm going to be staying in the bathhouse for a while longer." Noticing her withdrawn expression, Hikaru reached out a paw to grasp her shoulder in support.

"Are you alright? Did he do something to you?"

"No, I'm fine. Just need to time to think through some things." Hikaru wanted to demand she tell him everything, but it didn't seem likely that she would open up to him in this mood. Giving her shoulder another gentle squeeze, he released her and turned back to the gauze in his hand. Together they worked in silence each deep in their own thoughts. Hikaru acknowledged the slight tingling sensation on his leg as the band released and disappeared. Glancing down to see his ankle empty, he breathed a sigh of relief. He could leave now whenever he wanted, but as long as Chihiro was still here working he was going to stay by her side. Lin kept an eye on them from afar and once the infirmary seemed to be in the late morning napping lull, she slipped out to check on the other infirmaries after a firm reminder to Chihiro to behave.

"Lady Sen, will you please bring over a white sage poultice for me," a yuna called from her position cleaning a wounded turtle spirit. The other staff had gone to fetch buckets in the downtime and Chihiro was the only other non-patient present.

"Of course." Grabbing the requested poultice, Chihiro began walking towards the end of the infirmary closest to the fire where the yuna was working. The turtle spirit was lying in the bed next to the coughing salamander Hikaru had diagnosed as un-savable. Chihiro unconsciously thought how strange it was that his constant hacking had been absent since she had arrived in the infirmary this morning. Yesterday when she was passing by, he had seemed on death's doorstep with a terrible coughing fit. Perhaps they had found a better treatment method for him this morning and he had finally stabilized. With her back to the salamander, the yuna sat beside the turtle working out shrapnel from his shell. Chihiro set the poultice on the edge of her work station and turned away to head back to Hikaru when a scream erupted from behind her.

Pure black eyes gleamed from the salamander's face as he released the vicious bite he had sunk into the yuna's neck. Effortlessly tearing the girl's head off of her spine and pushing the body aside in one movement, Chihiro felt a scream of terror come loose as she scrambled backward away from him.

"Chihiro, we've been looking for you," the salamander garbled as it made a lunge for her. Even armed with the knowledge that spirits could move much faster than humans, Chihiro attempted to put distance between them in the few seconds she had. The loud sound of magic crackling like electricity in displeasure met the salamander's attack and pushed him back a step. A blur of white overtook her position meeting the enemy full on. The fight only lasted a few minutes, but it seemed to drag on forever.

"You shouldn't have run away Chihiro. We will always find you. You're never gonna be safe again," the salamander chortled evilly. Hikaru finished the Tainted host with what looked almost like a caress across the neck with his claws. The salamander's voice was cut off as blood spewed forth in the wake of Hikaru's claws, showing just how deadly he could be.

The silence that followed was interrupted by the thud of the salamander's lifeless body hitting the floor. Blood smeared the white fur around Hikaru's mouth and paws. His tails hovered on alert surrounding Chihiro as if to pull her away in a moment's notice. The entire room seemed frozen as if encased in glass as Chihiro took a deep breath. The yuna's head lay almost completely detached just a step away from her and the puddles of blood on the floor spread ever closer to her splattered white socks. Looking back over his shoulder at her, Hikaru looked at her with suspicion and hurt.

"Whose protection are you under?" The sound of Lin shouting at them seemed distant as Chihiro soundlessly opened and closed her mouth in reply. His look of betrayal shocked her more so than the bodies at their feet. Hikaru's eyes darted upward and in an instant, a growl tore loose as he yanked Chihiro behind him. A crack of flesh upon magic barrier told of the force that Haku had slammed into the barrier that Lin had thrown up. His arrival had happened so quickly Chihiro hadn't even seen the door burst open as it shattered into shards.

"Make a decision," Lin screamed as Haku roared at her in anger. Glaring at him in rebellion, Lin stepped out of the way and let him by. It was as if he were torn some place between human and dragon form and in a righteous fury. Human on first glance the animalistic look in his eyes and the extended sharp dagger like teeth told otherwise. Releasing a roar he glared angrily at Hikaru as he stopped only steps away.

"Release her," Haku growled as he strained under the tension of remaining still. Chihiro clutched wordlessly into Hikaru's back as the seriousness of the situation hit her.

"Chihiro, I need you to let me go. I must pay for what I've done," Hikaru said calmly.

"What do you mean," Chihiro shrieked as he lurched forward. Grappling with his tails to keep him to her, his words froze her.

"You should have told me you already have protection under someone else. Were you laughing when I offered myself up for you?" Trying to keep him from walking forward, Chihiro yanked him back. "The dragon is in bloodlust from the attack and will kill me quickly. Release me to my fate."

"No! No, don't go!" Haku snapped his teeth in irritation and took another step forward as he eyed the tails surrounding her. He wanted to tear forward and rip the fox's throat from its neck, but she was too entangled in his tails to not be at risk. One false move and the fox could use a tail to finish her before Haku could reach her. "I didn't make any contracts. I'm just wearing a charm he made."

Quickly unpinning the buns, Chihiro ripped the hair pins out of her hair and offered them up in a raised hand into his line of vision. Breaking his stare off with Haku for a moment to glance at the hair pins, he felt himself sigh in a mix of relief and anguish. Haku noticed her semi freed position from the tails and inched ever closer.

"Haku, you can't be mad at him. He was just protecting me from being attacked," Chihiro pleaded as she turned her gaze towards him. His feral eyes looked none the less merciful with her words.

"Chihiro, I tried to force the completion of the contract on you when I saw I wasn't going to make it in time. It's only by luck that the charm repulsed my magic with enough force to push the salamander back giving me the time to get over here. I overstepped my bounds and must now pay the consequences. Step away now."

"Move away Chihiro," Lin pleaded as she opened her arms towards her from the side. Looking at how easily the weasel was willing to give him up to Haku's obviously lethal intentions with disgust, Chihiro turned to face Hikaru. She was not going to give up on him, not like everybody else. Grasping onto Hikaru's right forearm with her own and letting the hair pins fall to the ground at her feet, Chihiro could hear the shocked yells from Lin and Haku as she completed what she should have done nights ago.

"I accept your offer of protection and companionship until the day I release you from this contract," Chihiro stated boldly. Both gasped in obvious pain as their arms heated and throbbed as one under the magic. Silver strings appeared winding about their arms in an intricate pattern before searing into their flesh. As Lin yanked her away, Haku pinned Hikaru to the wall by the throat. Looking down at her arm, the strings were gone and in their stead a black tattoo ranged from the tips of her fingers to the place Hikaru had grasped her arm below her elbow.

"Haku wait," Lin shouted as blood started to run from where his claws had gripped too tightly into the fox's neck. Yanking Chihiro's tender arm upwards to get a better look at the contract mark, Lin frowned in concern. "It's too late. They're contracted. Release the fox."

Haku ignored Lin's command and stared deeply into Hikaru's eyes as he squeezed his neck tighter. Despite his better instincts to fight, Hikaru remained still though he grasped at Haku's hand and lifted slightly to relieve some of the pressure brought on by hanging at such an angle against the wall. The great dislike both men had for each other in that instant shown easily in their gazes.

"Haku, drop him. He's my friend," Chihiro demanded as she pushed off Lin and approached them. Haku's hesitation was obvious as he held on for several moments longer, debating the consequences of taking off the fox's head. There was no way to know what sort of contract they had made. For all he knew, killing the fox could kill Chihiro. Breaking his hold with a hiss of disgust, Haku let the fox drop to the floor gracelessly. Coughing to clear his windpipes and rubbing the blood away from the cuts on either side of his neck, Hikaru pushed himself to a standing position against the wall. Chihiro met Haku's hard gaze evenly as he brushed past her.

"My office, now."

Awkward staff meetings tend to drag on when you least want them too. Awkward staff meetings that have turned into firestorms last even longer. Chihiro ran a shaky hand through her brown hair and turned away from the fire as she tuned back into the conversation at the desk. Her position leaning against the bookshelf across the room did nothing to keep her irritation at bay. Like Lin who was perched in one of the plush office chairs, she was watching Haku's attempted interrogation of Hikaru. Though he seemed to be going nowhere, Haku continued in his attempts to get information out of the fox.

"Tell me the details of your contract."

"No."

"Can't you at least tell me if Chihiro's life is linked with yours," Haku retorted irritably.

"I won't tell you anything about the contract. If I tell you that her life is not at stake, you'll kill me. If I tell you otherwise, I could only imagine the verdict you would give me. You are after all keeping her imprisoned in this bathhouse, no?" Haku growled ferociously and Hikaru sneered back with a cold glare.

"Enough," Chihiro interrupted loudly, "If the two of you can't talk this out like respectful adults, I'm going to beat the both of you back to hell."

The two in question looked back at her with different expressions. Haku raised an eyebrow in mocking disbelief, but Hikaru had the nerve to smile back at her. It was almost as if he enjoyed the idea of her beating him. Or perhaps he was more intrigued at her spunk for threatening two spirits far superior in strength and speed and still expecting them to bend to her will.

"As if you could possibly do that," Haku muttered.

"Look, I don't need your sass right now lizard. There are more important things to be doing than fighting over petty details. The contract doesn't matter at this point. What's done is done."

"The details of the contract are important."

"Yes they are, but that is between me and Hikaru. You have no right to ask about it. You are acting like a jealous boyfriend Haku, which last time I checked, you are not. We," Chihiro motioned between herself and Haku, "have nothing between us."

Lin sunk deeper into the cushions of the chair trying to keep her face neutral. The irony of this whole situation was hilarious and frightening all at the same time. She almost pitied the stinging blows that Chihiro was landing on him. He was going to be licking that wound for a while. Chihiro was right that technically he wasn't her boyfriend, no by spirit world standards she was his fiancé, but without flat out telling her what was going on there was no way Haku could soothe his pride. The conversation was interrupted by the sound of knock on the apartment door.

"Master Haku, master Haku, Hana-sama requires your presence." Haku groaned loudly and slammed his fist against the desk top as he moved around it. "She says it's regarding which kimono she should wear for the opening ceremony."

"Not now," he called back, "I'm in the middle of something."

"So what now," Lin asked quietly. She knew the details of the situation on both sides, at least to some degree. Haku grimaced and Chihiro could tell that he was about to open his mouth and say something incredibly stupid.

"Watari-san has released you from the infirmary and as far as I know, you have no money to stay here at the bathhouse even if we did have the availability to house you. Perhaps if you were more loose-lipped with the information I seek we could have made some sort of arrangement for you to stay, but for now you are not welcome inside the bathhouse." Chihiro rose in indignation, but Hikaru seemed unphased by his response.

"That's fine. I can stay with Taka at the nearby bar and come visit you during the day."

"No, that's not ok. If it's a matter of money then I shouldn't be staying here either. I definitely don't have this world's currency and I don't want to be indebted to the bathhouse."

"You are my guest Chihiro, of course you are welcome here."

"Then he is my guest. Isn't he then by default welcome here as well?"

"There are no available rooms for him to stay in."

"I don't need my own room. Since I won't be straying far from Chihiro, the foot of her bed would do just fine."

A hiss sounded from Haku's lips and Hikaru sat back with a challenging smirk. It was easy to play on the dragon's uneasiness when he was being apparent with his feelings on the situation. Hikaru was not surprised that he wasn't the only one with feelings for the human. Chihiro rolled her eyes misinterpreting Hikaru's vie for her as a childish jab. "I don't think the foot of my bed is quite necessary. Surely there is an extra futon floating around the storage closets that we could pull out for him to stay on."

"Unacceptable."

"Then give me some better choices here. I'm not sending him away." Chihiro stared Haku down as he slanted his eyes at her.

"There's no need to be so uptight dragon. We have the same interests in mind. All you need to know is that I'm going to protect Chihiro, especially from that menace YOU invited into the bathhouse." Haku raised an eyebrow in question, but Hikaru did not hold back in the slightest. "Don't think I haven't heard of her even down in the infirmary. The whispers of the servants travel further than the confines of the bathhouse."

"I have a solution if anyone feels like listening," Lin spoke up making everyone look at her. "Haku, it sounds to me like these two imbeciles made some sort of protection contract. As much as it irks you, set it aside to look at the bigger picture for now. We need help protecting Chihiro and if he is willing to provide security, it would be smarter to keep them together as much as possible. That being said, I know we are completely booked and obviously the only non-reserved room is Chihiro's. Why doesn't the fox stay in Chihiro's room so he is on hand and Chihiro can stay with you in your room?"


	33. Chapter 31

Well everyone, it has been over a year since I started this story. I can't tell you how surprised, proud, and excited I am about the feedback I have gotten over the past year for this story. Since the last update I have learned that financial aid will not kick in in time for me to begin medical school in January so I will be unable to move to the Dominican in January as recently planned. All of these changes have left me in a strange lull and the worst case of writer's block that I have ever encountered. There is no escape from reality when even the literary world won't take you away. The snuggle monkey known as Snickers the kitten has been doing well and I am preparing for my yearly holiday travels. 9 cities, 2 countries, 2.5 weeks. Bright side of all the traveling is that it gives me lots of time to potentially write and **I hope to put out a chapter for most of my stories, if not all of them, on Christmas night/Christmas morning**. With no plans for the upcoming spring besides working, I hope to finish chapters more regularly and potentially do a bunch of traveling abroad as I wait to see where I stand for medical school and apply to other programs. This chapter is short, but only because I want to post today rather than giving you an obscenely long chapter on Christmas (though I can tell you that the Christmas chapter is still long anyways since it is completely written minus one or two transitions at this point of time). Thank you guys for a year of rock hard support and I look forward to continuing writing for you in the upcoming years whether through this story or another.

Trastuspies- Thank you for the beautiful reminder of the anniversary. It means more to me than words can describe. I knew I had started writing this story in December of last year, but had lost track of time with the holiday madness and personal life chaos. Your reminder today (I guess yesterday cause I'm up ridiculously late again) helped me think back to all of the great things of this past year and finally I was able to sit down and break my writer's block. I don't really believe in dedicating chapters to people, but if I did, the reason this chapter is out today is you. Happy holidays.

 **Chapter 31:**

Chihiro straightened out her pajama top for the fifth time as she tried to ignore Hikaru's pacing about her room. The cool night air sweeping in from her open window did little to ease her mind when she could hear him muttering about the lost argument. The results didn't settle right with her either, but she had already agreed to cooperate. Both of them had risen a fuss at the absurdity of Lin's idea, but somehow here they were. It was probably Lin's insistence that she and Haku would not talk it out unless forced to confront each other that had spiked her anger. Indeed her and the dragon did need to have a talk, but how does having to sleep with each other have anything to do with that? Looking back on it now, she wished she hadn't tried to outwit Lin in the discussion. Instead she should have simply said no and pushed on the subject, but it was too late for that. All the concerned parties had reluctantly agreed, though if Hikaru's pacing in front of the fire were anything to go by he was not happy about the arrangements either. Both of them were aware that the evening was just about done and it was almost time for her to retire.

His mutterings grew louder as he began to voice his thoughts to her. Grasping the window ledge in her hands, Chihiro gave it a squeeze before cutting him off.

"Hikaru, enough." A breath of silence followed before the soft sound of his footsteps thudded closer to her. Turning so that her back was to the window, she faced him. "I don't want to talk about the sleeping arrangements right now."

Hikaru's eyes darted up to the hairpins hidden within her hair and his eyes saddened. Closing the space between them so they were mere inches apart, he lifted his hands and began loosening the two ear shaped buns atop her head. His nimble fingers gently unwrapped her hair from each pin and took them out. Trying to ignore the hatred he felt as he looked down at the pulsing hair pins, Hikaru turned his attention to the woman before him.

"I wish you didn't have to wear these. You look so beautiful with your hair down," he said quietly as he gently caressed a lock of her hair. Averting her eyes and taking a deep breath to calm the sudden blush across her cheeks, Chihiro took the hair pins from him and slipped them into her pocket. Overcoming her embarrassment to meet his gaze, she smiled at him.

"Thanks. Maybe in time I won't need them anymore." In the intensity of the moment, neither of them had heard the knock upon the door. When the door suddenly swung open, both of them startled apart.

"It's time for bed Chihiro," Haku said icily as he took in their close proximity. Hikaru frowned at the missed moment as she bowed goodnight to him and began to walk over to Haku. Making eye contact with the dragon, Hikaru glared at him over the top of Chihiro's head. Guiding her out of the room with a gentle hand upon the back, Haku shot him back a mocking smile as he closed the door. They both knew who had won with this arrangement. Cursing quietly the fox weighed going after them against the risk of expulsion from the bathhouse. Squeezing his fists tight to relieve his tension, Hikaru sat down in the windowsill and stared out over the town. His fingers absentmindedly traced the black tattoo on his arm that made him a contracted man.

The first thing Chihiro noticed about Haku's room was the strategically placed candles to create a low lighted atmosphere. There was a bouquet of fresh flowers tied up in a vase on the bookshelf and the previously scorned box from this morning sat on his nightstand. Unlike last time where his clothes were threatening to swell out of the wardrobe, they were neatly tucked in order and closed away tonight. The most important disturbance to the normal chaos of his room however was a lack of change. There was no additional beds in the room. Turning on her heel to challenge Haku as he shut the bedroom door, Chihiro gave warning.

"I'm not sleeping in the same bed with you Haku. Why didn't you have a futon be brought up here from storage?" The romantic setting wasn't lost on her and she didn't want him getting any ideas. From his laid back response, it seemed he hadn't done it on purpose though.

"There's no need for another to be brought in. Don't get so wound up, the bed will be yours."

"What about you? Where will you sleep?" Haku looked up towards the rafters of his canopy bed and Chihiro followed his line of eye contact to see the way the wood was worn down there. The dull gleam of a discarded scale from one corner and a tuft of teal hair from another told her exactly what he was planning. "Is that even comfortable?"

"When I'm shifted it is easier to sleep up there then on the bed anyways. Or if you would prefer it I can curl up in front of the fire on the rug. Either way, I won't be in your bed so what does it matter to you." Walking past her he ignored the small frown that marred her lips and sat in front of the fire. After a moment's hesitation, Chihiro sat down beside him and gazed into the fire as well. "Care to share what's going on between you and the fox?"

"Nothing, we are just good friends," Chihiro replied on the defensive. This wasn't how she had seen this conversation going. Granted she was fairly confident that he hadn't wanted to start with her this way either based on the frown tugging on his lips.

"You might want to go over that again with him. He looks at you the way I do."

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean Haku? As far as I'm concerned you don't look at me as anything more than a pawn in this stupid game of yours."

"You're not a pawn-"

"Then what am I to you? Cause I sure as hell don't know where we stand." A moment of silence passed with only the sound of their breathing and the crackling of the fire. Getting up gracefully, Haku retrieved the box from the nightstand and set it in front of her before sitting back down.

"I think you should open the box now."

"Whatever you bought me has nothing to do with our discussion. Stop trying to distract me from the matter at hand!" Sighing loudly, Haku took the box back and silently untied the cord about it. Opening it up, he set it in front of her so she could see that it only contained a small piece of folded paper. Chihiro's brows knit in confusion, but she took Haku's hint. Muttering beneath her breath about confusing dragons, she picked up the paper and began unfolding it. The handwritten letter read as follows:

 _Dear Chihiro,_

 _I know you are still probably furious with me about recent events and my lack of honesty regarding our mutual affairs. Catching you today at the border about to leave really helped put things into perspective for me. It's time for me to be honest about a few things and though I don't know the words to best communicate my feelings, I will try my hardest to make you understand._

 _I'm sorry that I didn't tell you how I felt from the moment you walked back into this world. I didn't think that you could bear the news after all that you had recently learned about the situation. Besides, would you have honestly believed that I loved you at that time? We had only spent a few meager days together previously and you didn't even remember them. I had long given up on the hope of you remembering your feelings for me, but still I yearned for you. Each day that we have spent together has only strengthened my feelings and though our path is difficult, I hope that you will stay by my side. The things that I do to protect you, to protect us, are not easy, but I promise that I will find a way for us to be happy together if you give me the chance._

 _These upcoming days will be challenging for us. Now that I have begun a game of intrigue with Hana I must see it through to the end of her scheduled time here. I also regret to inform you that I will not be offering you an invitation to the Lotus party on the eve before the ball. As I'm sure you will begin to overhear, the spirits looking to marry me host this garden party as a formal thank you for my services leading the bathhouse, and as such it is expected of me to attend. In reality the event is a sham for them to try and woo me, but it would raise questions and ire if I decline. With so many vicious spirits in one area, I would prefer you stay as far away as possible from the party until well after its end time. I'm sure you will be unhappy about this arrangement, but it is for the better good. I will not be coming home to you that night either, but rather returning straight to my river to purge whatever aphrodisiacs or corrupted magic they might have tried. If you were there in the gardens at the party, there is a chance you could be easily hurt or even worse, that whatever magic is in the air could cause a costly lapse in judgement for either of us._

 _When this damned festival is over and the threats of the world outside the bathhouse minimized, I want to sit down and talk about the important matters between us. I'm sorry that I cannot reveal all of my secrets right now in this letter, but find faith in the knowledge that you won't be in the dark much longer. Please give me the opportunity to rectify the errors I have made and court you properly once the bathhouse is safe again. I've come to accept that there is no turning back from my feelings and should you accept them, we will forge a new future together somehow._

 _Yours always,_

 _Haku_

Chihiro slowly folded the letter back up and held it gingerly in her hand. As angry as she was with Haku, she did feel slightly moved by his writing. Granted he wasn't agreeing to share with her everything he knew right now, but it was a start in the right direction. At least he was honest about the Lotus party. That would have surely led to more strife between them if she had learned about it from someone other than him.

"Would you prefer to go to sleep now and talk tomorrow night?"

"No, if you feel up to it, let's talk now." Chihiro mentally added in a few choice words at Lin for this situation and on the other side of the bathhouse, the weasel shifted over in her sleep peacefully without a care in the world. "In all honesty, I'm not sure how I feel about all of this. There is too much happening at the same time."

"We don't have to do this tonight Chihro. Now that I don't have to worry about you being exposed at the cleansing ceremony, we can find a way for you to enjoy the festival safely. You have worked hard here at the bathhouse and will be paid for your efforts so it's not like you won't have money to spend at the festival."

"We should talk about how we each feel about a relationship," Chihiro replied as she was cut off by a yawn, "but perhaps it can wait until after the festival."

"You don't have to give me your answer right now. I think I'd actually feel better if you waited a few days. Just to make sure you are certain before we move forward." Chihiro nodded her head and slowly rose to her feet.

"Then I guess I'll head to bed first then." As she began to walk past Haku reached out and took her hand gently within his.

"Will you forgive me?" The question lingered in the air between them as Chihiro bit her lip in consideration.

"My forgiveness does not grant you forbearance of my anger. It's hard to trust you after all of this." Haku mentally groaned as he thought about how she didn't know the half of it yet. He had created for himself an uphill battle and slicked the slopes with her tears. Releasing her hand, Haku smiled weakly at her as she moved away. They had a long way to go.

Chihiro awoke alone the following morning as the moon began to rise. Pushing back the covers, she peered around the edge of the bed frame to see if he were still sleeping above. The alcove was empty and didn't appear to have changed from when she first noticed it the other night. She stood up slowly and stretched as she made her way over towards the open balcony door. It appeared as if the wind had knocked over some books off the lower shelf of one of the bookcases by the door. Chihiro noted the empty balcony and kneeled down beside the books. Scooping up several of the books, she was about to put them back on the shelf when she noticed the smallest edge of paper sticking out from the bottom edge of the panel making up the bottom shelf. Curiosity getting the better of her, Chihiro moved the remaining books off the shelf and lifted up the panel. The trapped page that had gotten her attention was actually a black and white drawing amongst a small stack of other drawings. Holding the sketch up to the light, Chihiro recognized herself as the girl smiling back at her. In fact, almost all of the drawings were of her in some shape or form in a variety of normal activities and those that were not were of landscapes. Flipping through them she had to admit they were well done, until she reached the last one. The last picture seemed hastily drawn in pen, but it was the only one where she was not alone. Chihiro was drawn sleeping on the bank of a river and trapped within the river, a young boy that resembled Haku pressed his palms up against the surface reaching towards her. A knock on the door and the call of Hikaru's voice asking her if she was awake yet, startled Chihiro from the temporary freeze that she had fallen into looking at the image. Suddenly embarrassed of her snooping, Chihiro shoved the drawings back under the panel and rearranged the books on top as she had remembered them from the night before.

"I'm coming Hikaru, give me a sec," she called as she stood up and hurried towards the door. Thrusting it open, she smiled at him as the blush left her cheeks.

"Ready to start the morning," he asked as he took in her well-rested, semi calm state. Absentmindedly nodding her head yes, Chihiro walked back with him to her bedroom to retrieve fresh clothes. Though she was physically beside him, her mind was elsewhere examining the black-and-white drawings penned by a dragon.


	34. Chapter 32

Happy Holidays everyone! A few short things to go over before you dive into the longest chapter I've ever written.

Poll is at 14 votes and will be closing probably around the end of January at the latest (my hopeful estimate for the ending of this arc) so if you have an interest in the next project I'm working on, go vote! You can find the poll listed on my author's info page at the top and the initial chapters for two of the story options have been posted though are likely to be edited/changed slightly once I really get writing for them.

Thanks for the one year anniversary wishes and support/critiques. There are plot gaps/not fully fluffed out transitions with supporting events to support the changes in character development in some sections but, I hope to fix some of that when I go back and edit things before the next arc. If there are particular sections you think stand out as needing work, feel free to private message me the chapter/scene and I will put it on the working list I have going.

This will be the last post for this story this year. I hope to post my next chapter by or on January 9th depending on how the rest of my travels work out and the mountain of work awaiting my arrival home on the 6th. As usual, thanks for your continued reading, feedback, and patience.

 **Chapter 32:**

The next few days seemed to slip by as if time were water flowing away from her. Chihiro kept busy staying out of the way and helping where she could. She couldn't tell if Haku was simply avoiding her or was working obscene hours since he returned home after she went to sleep and got up before she awoke. Every now and again she would catch glimpses of him around the bathhouse assisting staff members with different things. It was easy to tell how much the staff loved him and he treated them like family. Haku was good at his role and the bathhouse thrived under him. When their eyes would meet, she would smile at him and he would return it with a smile of his own before hurrying away to another task. Chihiro wanted to talk to him about the drawings, but he always seemed to slip away before she had the chance.

The day before the opening ceremony, Lin and Chihiro were busily folding laundry in the upper breezeway. As predicted Lin had quite a few choice words for her after learning that both of them hadn't really talked and come to a conclusion. Glaring at Hikaru's turned back, Lin quickly cornered Chihiro against the balcony and quietly shushed her before whispering.

"Just answer me two questions Chihiro. Do you want to work things out with Haku?"

"Well yeah.-"

"Do you like him?" Chihiro raised an eyebrow at the weasel cutting her off.

"Yeah I do like him. He seems to be a great guy for the most part.-"

"Not what I meant," Lin interrupted waving her off before continuing, "Do you love him? Do you care enough for him to try staying here in the Spirit World for good?"

A moment of hesitation passed as Chihiro considered it. If she did start something with Haku, would she have to stay? Was there not some other way to make a relationship with him work? A flashback of the humans burning in the plaza from Haku's memory came to mind. Could they really be happy together or was it all just going to turn ash? Lin could see Chihiro thinking hard on the subject and then frown as her thoughts turned dark. Sighing loudly, Lin held Chihiro's face and made her look at her.

"Just tell me if you love him. If you do, I promise I will do everything in my power to make sure you both find happiness together."

"Yes…yes, I do," Chihiro whispered as Lin continued to stare down at her. Pursing her lips, Lin nodded her head once and released Chihiro's cheeks. "Then you need to tell him and stop fucking around. I'm sure he's feeling insecure with your new furry friend over there and you can't be feeling much better with whatever nonsense he's pulling on that fish. I'll get rid of the fox, then let's go hunt him down."

Chihiro gaped open mouthed after her as the weasel stalked over towards Hikaru across the room. Throwing an arm around Hikaru's shoulders, Lin began to push him towards the exit.

"So Kitsune-chan, the next batch of laundry should be ready to be brought up. Why don't you head down there and collect it while Chihiro and I finish up this last batch? It would be a real big help for us." Hikaru looked over his shoulder back at Chihiro who exaggerated grabbing another wet sheet and shaking it out before hanging it. She was picking up on Lin's game.

"I really should stay by Chihiro just in case anything happens," he started, but was cut off by Chihiro sighing loudly.

"I'll be fine Hikaru. Please go grab the last of the laundry so we can be done with this already." Nodding his head in reluctant agreement, he followed Lin's push and headed downstairs. The moment the elevator door closed behind him, Lin came running back and grabbed Chihiro's hand.

"I got a plan," Lin said as she began dragging Chihiro in the opposite direction of where she had deposited the fox. Chihiro had the slightest suspicion that she wasn't going to like whatever was coming next.

Haku walked quickly to keep pace with Lin as they made their way through the bathhouse. He had been in the middle of collecting the weekly ledgers from each department when she found him and practically dragged him from the room. Taking the ledgers from him, Lin continued to pull ahead of him as he tried to figure out why she was muttering curses under her breath.

"What's wrong," he asked wondering what had gotten her into a twist. She stopped to frown at him and rolled her eyes before continuing forward.

"Come with me. I'll explain everything soon." Lin led him towards a less populated part of the bathhouse. As they passed by an open door, Lin shoved Haku through the doorway into the dark space within. Within seconds, the sound of a heavy lock being shoved into place could be heard as his fists slammed against the door and he yelled for Lin to let him out. As he prepared to use magic to slam open the door, he heard the sound of a broom falling over behind him. Stilling instantly, Haku realized he wasn't alone in the darkness. He took a deep breath and recognized the familiar scent of Chihiro lingering in the air amongst the smells of floor waxes and cleaning supplies.

"Chihiro, why are we in a cleaning closet?" Turning to face her, Haku let his eyes adjust to the dark. She was leaning against the back shelf watching him, indecisively biting her lip. Seeming to throw her shoulders back and find her inner strength, she slowly walked towards him and took his hands in hers.

"I can't wait any longer Haku. I need you to know how I feel." Haku instantly felt his heart sink as he realized the situation that Lin had tossed him into. She was going to reject him in a dark closet of all places! Couldn't she have chosen a well-lit place to deny him so he could at least memorize the details of her face? He wanted to beg her for more time to try and make things right. Hadn't they agreed to wait until after the festival? Couldn't he get rid of the enemy first before she turned him away? This was going to be it, over before it could even begin.

Squeezing his lifeless hands for a moment, Chihiro released them with a shaky breath before bringing them upward. Haku was tall, but not too far out of her reach. Wrapping her fingers into his hair, she pressed her lips against his and began moving even as the stinging sensation began. Haku timidly began to return her responses before slowly moving his kisses away from her lips to trail down her neck.

"I love you Haku. I don't know where we will go from here, but I believe that we can make things work." Her somewhat well planned speech was interrupted as he stole the breath from her. Haku claimed her lips with a ferocity that she had never experienced. Returning his energy with gusto, her arms wrapped around him to bring him closer.

"I love you. I love you so much," Haku whispered between quick kisses as he pressed her against the wall. Her simple statement was more than enough to set his heart on fire. He had been so scared of her rejection and that she wouldn't come to feel the same way about him again. Yet at the same time he wanted to send her away and protect her from all the hurt that will come their way by joining together as one. Haku could feel his worries sliding away as he felt her heart matching his. The barrier keeping the bonding process from continuing hurt terribly and yet the feeling of her yielding to him was a sweetness of heaven. No matter how many times he tried to push her away for their mutual sake, he couldn't deny how he felt for her. "I wish we weren't in a closet right now, but I'm grateful to know you don't reject me. That you are giving me a chance is more than I can ask for."

"You will have that opportunity, but please, let's not wait until the festival is over. Please don't make me watch you flirt with other women any longer. I know you said you are faking, but it hurts to see it anyways. Especially when they take you seriously."

"I," Haku began to refuse, but was silenced as she kissed him sweetly once, then twice. "I already agreed to attend the lotus party Chihiro."

Chihiro pulled away as she felt her heart sink despite its energetic dance within her chest. She at least had the comfort of not being present when the lotus party got underway. She wouldn't have to watch as many beautiful women took advantage of the situation to parade about the garden trying to catch his attentions. Haku could see her deflating from his response and he redirected her gaze upwards towards his eyes. With his eyes well-adjusted to the dark now, Haku could see the disappointment there.

"But please don't be upset. If it makes you feel better, know that I will openly reject any advances from here on forward. I have you. That's all I've ever wanted and all I'll ever need." Chihiro took comfort in his words and leaned into his hand caressing her cheek. In Haku's mind, all of the challenges that would come from rejecting the potential marriage candidates in a short span of time began to pour forward. Squishing them under the warm bubbles of excitement and love, he nuzzled his nose against hers before reclaiming her lips again for a short kiss. "By the end of the festival, the people that could threaten us will be leaving and we can let the bathhouse staff know that we are officially together. That is of course, if you want them to know."

"I don't mind telling them once the guests leave, but are you sure it's safe to tell them?"

"They all know you are a human and we don't have spies from the Capital breathing down our backs yet. I think it would probably be fine. I want to investigate Hana's claim of a spy first, but I don't want to keep us a secret for long." Haku grasped her hands tightly and Chihiro could feel the energy pulsing in his palms. "In fact, I wish I could fly up to the roof of the bathhouse and shout my joy to the heavens. I'm sure below the ground my river is celebrating for us this very moment and eagerly awaiting your next visit."

Chihiro giggled as she felt herself blush at his excitement. Torn between stroking her cheek and kissing her again, Haku decided on the latter before reaching for the door knob. As he had suspected, the door had never truly been locked to begin with and it gave way to the empty hallway. The light shone in on her face and Haku smiled at her with all the radiance and love that he felt. They could deal with the world's problems later, right now all that mattered was keeping that smile on her face.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"I don't need an escort just to go to the bathroom guys," Chihiro complained as she started down the narrow slip of grass between the bright colorful tents towards the restroom. After her two favorite ex-patients had gotten her to agree to go to the festival with them, they had barely given her any time alone. It was a miracle that Lin was able to help her finish getting ready this morning with how frequently Okita had been knocking on the door asking how much longer it was going to be. Since Hikaru was silent, Lin had allowed him the privilege of sitting in the corner of the room while she put Chihiro's hair up and made final touches to the yukata.

"But Chihiro that's when you're most vulnerable. Think about it. When your pants are down-" Okita mocked but was interrupted by Hikaru.

"We will wait here for you." Before Okita could continue his joke, Hikaru glared at him pointedly. There were some lines not meant to be crossed. Leaving the two boys behind, Chihiro followed the signs down the path to the designated tent. She really should have gone before they left the bathhouse, but excitement kept her from making the necessary trip. At least they hadn't made it to the heart of the festival yet with its rows of vendors and games. After doing her business, she was on her way back to her friends when the wall of the tent beside her lifted up and what appeared to be a large white rabbit rolled out. Stumbling backward to avoid kicking it accidentally, Chihiro watched it flop over in mutual shock. With its fall, human legs appeared flying in the air from its skirt and a pair of white bloomers were in plain view.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think anyone was out here," the rabbit spoke as it lowered its legs and began to preen its pale rose skirts. With the fabric out of the way, it was easier to see the half rabbit, half humanoid appearance the small girl had. Even now the rabbit like features were melting into those of a human child. The pair of long white furred ears were disappearing into the mess of white blonde curls a top of her head and a pair of blue eyes grew in size to match her angelic face.

"No worries," Chihiro said as she offered to help the child up. Looking at her strangely for a moment, the girl hesitantly took the proffered hand. Instantly her grip on Chihiro's hand tightened as Chihiro pulled her up onto her feet. When the girl did not release her hand, Chihiro felt her fear spike. The rabbit's irises had disappeared completely and the girl was in a state of frozen movement as if in rigor mortis. Yanking her hand away, Chihiro watched the blue instantly return into the girl's eyes. Gasping softly the child looked at her a new.

"Terribly sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. I phase out occasionally. It just happens sometimes. That's why they usually keep me away from others. It's too easy for me to get hurt if I phase out at the wrong time."

"What are you doing out here alone then? Shouldn't you be with your parents?" Frowning at her feet the rabbit halfheartedly tapped her foot against the grass. By the end of the festival this same path with its cut grass would be trampled by the thousands of feet that would traverse it.

"They are gone. I live with a wolf named Daisuke now. He has work here at the festival to attend to so he doesn't have time to accompany me. Rather than stay in that dreary tent all day I thought I'd go take a look around while he's gone." Thrusting out her hand with confidence, the now fully human girl gave her a large crooked smile. "The name's Tsukiko, and you are?"

"Chihiro." Shaking her hand, Chihiro couldn't help smiling back at her. There was an open brightness about the girl that seemed to melt away whatever fear she had experienced earlier.

"It's a pleasure meeting you, but I best be off. Gotta find my way to the river bank for the opening ceremony." Tsukiko began walking off towards the bathrooms.

"Um, Tsukiko, the street is this way." Looking back at her with giant doe eyes, the girl laughed nervously.

"Guess it is, isn't it? My sense of direction is pretty bad. I get lost easily." The girl slowly walked back towards her and pulled on her white blouse in embarrassment.

"I'm heading to the ceremony with some friends after we walk through the market. Would you like to join us? We could walk you home afterward." The way Tsukiko smiled Chihiro would have thought that she had offered up the cure to end world hunger rather than a simple invitation.

"Really? Do you mean it? Could I really go with you?"

"Yeah, it's not a problem." The girl whooped in joy and grasping Chihiro's hand began pulling her towards the exit. She smiled at the girl's excitement and let herself be led along.

"We are going to have so much fun! I hope they got the fish catching game. I have always wanted to play it, but no one has been around to take me during festival time," the rabbit girl babbled.

"I'm sure we can make a stop to play the fish catching game. Don't you worry," Chihiro reassured the excited girl. As they broke from the path between the tents, the two boys spotted them. Upon spotting them Hikaru instantly had a hand on the knife sheathed in his belt, but Okita simply burst out laughing.

"See I told you that women's restrooms are never to be trusted! They congregate and multiply in there." Rolling her eyes at Okita's antics, Chihiro stopped in front of them with Tsukiko beside her. The rabbit bowed deeply as Chihiro introduced her. Hikaru didn't bother hiding the suspicious gaze he bore into the child, but Okita wasted no time in offering the girl an exploding candy. Before Chihiro could stop her, the girl opened it and confetti burst out. Okita and Tsukiko laughed as it rained down confetti on the four of them.

"Tsukiko is going to hang out with us this evening and then we will take her home after the opening ceremony. Sound good," Chihiro asked as the girl finally relinquished her hand to give the burnt wrapper back to Okita.

"Sounds awesome. Come on squirt, we are gonna cause some trouble tonight," Okita smiled as he ruffled her curly hair. Giggling in delight, Tsukiko smiled at him. Hikaru however was still frowning at their new addition as they wordlessly took off towards the festival. Tsukiko and Okita led the way talking and laughing as Hikaru and Chihiro walked slightly behind.

"Why the frown," Chihiro asked after the distance between the two pairs had grown slightly.

"Spirits can change their age and shape, Chihiro. There's no way to tell if she is really a child or an assassin sent to kill you."

"Don't you think she would have already done that when she first ran into me?"

"Possibly," Hikaru replied as he thought it over considerably, "Unless there is something else she is looking for."

The afternoon began to wear into evening as the group explored the festival. Hikaru was careful to keep an eye on Chihiro and Tsukiko, though from what he could see the girl was indeed a child. Even though he was on guard and keeping a keen eye on everything around them, Hikaru was having fun watching their antics. Okita got a wad of sticky sugar candy stuck in his fur at one point after Tsukiko "accidentally" tripped. Chihiro tried to help right her, but when she pulled the girl free of the sticky mess, the wand of candy rebounded backwards to land on her face. She ended up getting candy stuck on the top of her lips in the shape of a badly groomed mustache when she finally got the wand pulled off. One solid lick from Hikaru had dispersed it and left both of them blushing, but the other two howled in laughter. After eating kurage from a food vendor, they made their way to the crowded river bank for the opening ceremony.

A large grandstand had been erected on the side of the river closest to the bathhouse. Banners fluttered in the gentle breeze and the crowd rumbled in excitement. Chihiro, Okita, Hikaru, and Tsukiko pushed as close as they dared to the water front. Being nearly half of Chihiro's height, Tsukiko couldn't see anything with the crowd of people present. Picking her up gently, Okita placed the girl on his shoulders so that she could see above the crowd. Cooing in delight, she clapped her hands and pointed to the turbulent water before them. Hikaru leaned over and whispered in Chihiro's ear.

"Would you like to go up on my shoulders?"

"No thanks. I'm much too heavy and I can see just fine from here." Okita smirked overhearing her response and stepped closer to comment without distracting Tsukiko from her viewing.

"Darlin' any man would be happy to die with his face in-." The toll of the bell resounded cutting off his response, but the blush on both Hikaru's and Chihiro's faces said they knew exactly where he had been taking it. Hikaru opened his mouth to comment that since it was the back of his head rather than his face that such a statement should not count, but she shushed the both of them and pointed at the balcony. When the clock struck one, an entourage of people had stepped out of the shadows of the grandstand onto the balcony in view of all. After a brief introduction by a swan, Haku came to the forefront and began the opening speech to introduce the various masters of ceremony for the weekend. Standing regally at his right hand, Hana looked down upon the crowd with a plethora of jewels on nearly every inch of her skin. Both of them looked otherworldly in their regal dress and positions of power. As Haku spoke and looked out over the crowds of people bubbling at the riverbanks edges' it felt as if he were miles away in more than just distance. Ending his speech, Haku and the others took their seats for the opening ceremony show.

Out of the bubbling river water, the barebones of a ship wreckage rose high into the air above the river and large drums began pounding out a tempo from the shore. Shrimp and fish spirits stretched their limbs from the skeleton beams and began an intricate aerial acrobatics routine to the beat. Chihiro's breath was taken away as she watched their splendid prowess and gravity defying art. Clapping in awe as one of the shrimp was flipped through the air from one end of the ship to the other, she smiled at the strange scene before her. These creatures of the watery depths obviously did not regularly come up into the air as evidenced by the thin water bubbles surrounding their gills, yet here they were soaring like experts. As the song began to speed up, the ship began rocking as if stuck in an unforeseen current. The synchronized gymnastics kept pace before finally the music came to an end and all of the occupants jumped off the boat into the water with a loud splash. Joining in the resounding applause and cheers, Chihiro watched as the ship began lighting off fireworks. She had always enjoyed fireworks at festivals growing up, even though she never attended with a boyfriend. Would Haku have visited the festival together with her if Hana and the others weren't around? Looking over at Haku on the balcony, Chihiro felt herself wish that she was up there beside him watching the fireworks together.

Hikaru couldn't help but admire Chihiro as the light from the fireworks shined around them. It was hard to imagine that they would be here together now at a festival together after all that had happened and yet here they were. The bright reds, oranges, and blues washed her in a rainbow of magic light and Hikaru couldn't help but feel drawn to her. There was something special about festivals that resonated with him. The moment would have been perfect if she were looking at him or at the lights themselves. Instead he followed her gaze towards the master of the bathhouse who was staring emptily forward towards the fireworks display and leaning into the whispering koi fish. Hikaru felt his heart squeeze painfully in his chest at the look of longing on her face. If she looked at him the way she was looking at the dragon right now, Hikaru would count himself the luckiest man in the Spirit world. Yet the dragon was too busy perching upon a throne of deceit and power games to truly see her. He had left the most important treasure behind unguarded. If Hikaru had looked away from Chihiro, he would have seen the calculating gaze in Tsukiko's eyes as she followed the train of gazes and expressions from her companions back up to the balcony. Pursing her lips, Tsukiko frowned at Haku before letting the expression melt away into a mask of childish amazement.

After the fireworks display was over, the crowd began to push and expand as all of the spirits began to head back to their accommodations for the evening. Hikaru was quick to grab Chihiro's hand when the crowd threatened to pull her away. He dragged her along as he kept up with the others. With careful navigations, they began to thread their way out of the mob towards the End of the Line bar. Dropping off Okita first, Chihiro and Hikaru said their goodnights and linked hands again as they began the search for Tsukiko's tent. After what seemed like a near endless puzzle of identical tents, the little girl pointed at a red security tent and pulled them forward. As if sensing her approach, the tent flap swung open to reveal a giant black wolf in a full suit of armor. Hikaru instantly felt himself grasping for his weapon as the wolf growled at them.

"Daisuke," the girl cooed as she ran forward and he lifted her up on his arm. Together they looked quite the odd pair, but Chihiro could see the warmth in the grizzly smile he gave her. "I'm back!"

"Tsukiko, you know what I told you about running off. It's not safe out here," the wolf growled as he fixed a stray curl and released the tent flap to close the opening. Hikaru could see other wolves in armor surrounding a table with a map on it within before the panel shut. He didn't realize Haku had brought on additional security measures for the festival. "I was worried."

"I was fine though," Tsukiko emphasized with a dramatic eye roll, "see I even made some friends. This is Chihiro and Kitsune-kun." Her introduction drew the wolf's hard gaze onto them. Chihiro smiled and bowed politely, but Hikaru was stiff in his response. His hands were remaining close to his weapon just in case the well-armed wolf had any argument.

"Thank you for bringing my Tsukiko home to me. We must be off to our tent now."

"AWWW, but Daisuke I want to go out with them again tomorrow." Chihiro briefly looked over at Hikaru in question. They hadn't really talked about the plans for the next day, but it was understood that Lin would be joining in whatever they did. The wolf frowned at the girl and the girl pouted back at him. Slamming her small fists against the wolf's shoulder armor, Tsukiko bargained. "They will keep me safe again no problem. Please let me go with them."

"We will talk about it later tonight," the wolf countered as he began to walk away from them with the girl sitting atop his arm.

"I'll send you word in the morning. You are staying at the bathhouse yes?"

"Yes," Chihiro replied as the wolf began to take the girl away.

"Perfect. Have a good night!" Tsukiko waved and smiled at them as she was carried away. Chihiro and Hikaru waved her off and began their journey back to the bathhouse. As soon as Tsukiko was out of sight from the pair, she instinctively silenced. She stared straight forward as the wolf brought her back to their tent. The childish act was gone and her appearances began to mature. Her long bunny ears emerged and her body began to grow to that of a short hybrid woman. The moment they were alone in the high security tent, Tsukiko hopped down from her perch on his arm and began walking over to the plush cushions beside her looking glass.

"I hope you realize the trouble you cause when you run off like that. You know the Elders would have my head on a pike if they heard you were running around unguarded out here," Daisuke growled.

"Don't bother with your lecture, Daisuke. I found what we were sent here for." Frowning at him disdainfully, she used a paw to stir the water and sat down beside it. The calculating wise expression on her youthful features were more familiar to her than the smiles and laughter she shared this afternoon. The gift of foresight had long been her burden to bear and it took with it any chance at frivolity that she could have. "Notify the Elders that I believe the rumors to be true and am gathering evidence to secure the claim. If all goes according to what I foresaw, they will have the dragon as they want him shortly."


	35. Chapter 33

...She ran the stone stairs as fast as she could, ignoring the heavy armor rattling on her thin frame. Coming out at the top, she looked down at the impressive height and prepared her sword. There would only be one shot at this. Giving herself a running boost, she sailed over the wall and brought her blade down upon the beast's neck. Sharp as a diamond's edge, the sword made easy work of the flesh and she beheaded the beast with a flourish. Landing calmly beside the fallen corpse, she flicked the blood from her blade and smiled. The writer had finally ended the torturous animal known as writer's block. The story could continue. -What I've been doing since I last posted

Long story short, life happens. Life problems with no easy solution equals too emotional to write even if I know what I want to write. This chapter is rough and long, but I am going to continue to push at this point. There is only 3 chapters left to go before the end of the arc and I'd like to finish it before I leave for Japan in March. I send my love and thanks for your continued support.

Amidstsnow-Thanks for reviewing! I definitely can understand getting sick of the drama. As a fellow fanfic reader, Tsukiko's introduction probably would have been the end of the line for me as a reader because I have a low tolerance for drama. That being said, everything/everyone has a purpose and a reason in my writing. As these last three chapters pan out, I hope you and the other readers will continue to have patience with me as I reveal the purpose for these characters in the main plot. Also remember this is a 2 arc story-what seems pointless now will have an important purpose/use later. As one of my usual reviewers, I always appreciate your feedback and thoughts. Thanks for sticking with me and hope to hear from you again soon!

Trastuspies- You read my intentions like a book (no puns intended), but I think I will have the last laugh in three chapters.

 **Chapter 33:**

The grey skies above released waves of summer rain, but the magic overhead kept it from hitting the land below. If viewed at an angle it almost appeared as if the rain simply disappeared into nothing about two feet above the highest tent. It was only by the convenience of this magic that the many water spirits and other wetland creatures could enjoy the festival together in one place. They brought so much water together that the air was heavy with it and fogging in some areas. Despite these grey conditions, the festival was bubbling with activity and happiness.

"Chihiro, keep up! I'm not above leaving you behind," Lin threatened over the hum of the crowd. Turning her gaze down from its heavenward view, she spotted her favorite weasel up ahead smirking at her. Skipping to catch up, Chihiro smiled at all of the vendors selling their wares. The old market couldn't compare to the strange goods for sale in these temporary stands. She could spend all day exploring the games, stands, and sights here. Catching up with the group, Chihiro looked around at the smiles on the faces of Hikaru, Tsukiko, Okita and Lin. Hikaru glanced back at her and winked before nonchalantly joining her on the other side of the group.

"See anything you like," he asked as he thrust his hands into his pockets and walked beside her.

"Better question is what don't I like,"' she laughed as she noticed Tsukiko holding hands with Okita up ahead. The small rabbit girl was smiling broadly and pointing to a bright star ornament hanging from a nearby shop. Leaning down the tanuki whispered comfortably into her ear. Whatever he said made the child's smile grow even larger and she turned around to wave her over. Excusing herself from Hikaru, Chihiro joined them at the star.

"Have you ever seen this before Chihiro," Tsukiko asked as she pointed the stained glass ornament out. Lin appeared to have continued forward without them and Hikaru had even wandered away.

"Yes, it's a star," Chihiro chuckled as she fingered the shining glass.

"Not just any star. That is a navigation star. Throw this star up into the air and it will lead you back to your home," Okita corrected. Chihiro looked at the seemingly ordinary ornament again. It didn't seem any different than it had seconds before.

"Honestly I think these are far more memorable," Chihiro pointed out the empty grey husks on the table next door. In several of the vases on display, there were beautiful flowers with a swirling fluid moving about inside of them.

"Ah, husk flowers. One touch with a bit of magic and they bloom forever," Okita nodded with a smile, "It's not surprising that you find them enchanting."

"What makes you say that," Tsukiko asked him with a child-like innocence as she began walking away from the stand with him.

"Beautiful women like Chihiro often receive flowers from their suitors. Husk flowers are special because they last forever. They aren't pretty if your magic produces a boring color, but the notion of forever is usually enough to woo most ladies. Trust me, you'll understand when you're older," he replied as he ruffled her curls. Batting away his hand with a pout, she challenged him.

"But Chihiro doesn't have anyone like that right?"

"Not at the moment," Chihiro lied with a small sad smile. The small girl mistook her wistful expression for unrequited desire.

"Chihiro hasn't been around here long enough for the men to catch her scent, but if I were a gambler, I'd place money on the fox being the first one to fall," Okita smarted as the spirit in question came up from behind to check on them. Giggling lightly, Tsukiko covered her mouth with a hand and eyed the man in question.

Tuning out their discussion, Chihiro looked closer at the husk flowers. The flowers on display were filled with an assortment of colors and each closely resembled a unique glass flower sculpture. Purchasing the star ornament and putting it away in her bag, Chihiro began walking again with Hikaru.

"Who is that for?"

"Tsukiko. She seems to get lost a lot so I thought I would surprise her," Chihiro replied as she looked over her shoulder at the husk flowers. Hikaru noted her lingering interest on the flowers as they continued browsing.

"Do you like flowers Chihiro?" Smiling at Hikaru, she nodded and continued looking at all of the wares. Black pottery from the South, un-melting ice sculptures from the North… there were things from all over the Spirit World on display all within steps of each other. "It seems a shame that they die so quickly."

"Their beauty may be fleeting, but the memories they hold last forever."

"Turning into a poet, are you," Chihiro mocked with a mischievous smirk. Hikaru rolled his eyes and put his chin up in defiance.

"Not in the slightest." They walked together in silence for a while as the others kept pace ahead. The murmuring of the crowd reminded Chihiro of babbling brooks trying to talk over each other. Everywhere she looked there were spirits from all over the lands, come together for the festival. Tomorrow everyone would crowd around the river again to witness the cleansing ceremony and celebrate its success at the ball. A familiar voice cut through the noise and struck her from behind.

"Pardon me Chihiro, I believe you dropped this." Turning around to look for the man that the voice belonged to, Chihiro's jaw dropped as she took in Haku's position. He was down on one knee in the trampled grass and holding up a grey slip of husk to her. Before her eyes, the husk filled out into a blooming rose and solidified its form. The slow churning of blue inside reminded Chihiro of his river far below their feet. Speechless at his romantic display, she had to take a few moments to find words. If she hadn't been so taken with his sudden appearance she might have caught the tight lipped frown on Hikaru's face. The rest of the crowd kept moving without notice, but a pair of eyes from up ahead watched the scene with sadness.

"When did you get here," she stuttered out as he smirked triumphantly. Carefully wrapping her small hands about the thorny rose, he stood up and wiped the clinging dirt from his knees.

"Not long ago. I was escorting Hana to the dressmaker and couldn't help but notice a husk flower display. Since she is preoccupied for a bit, I thought there would be no harm in hunting you down to deliver this." Chihiro looked down at the rose and felt herself blush even deeper.

"It is absolutely stunning, Haku. Thank you." The smile the two shared made the rest of the world melt away.

"Is her dress for the lotus party tonight or the ball tomorrow," Hikaru asked with a stoic expression. Chihiro looked at him questioning why he would bring something like that up. Shrugging his shoulders at Chihiro's reaction, he continued. "What? Since he's taking her as his date to both events it shouldn't be a problem to ask."

"The ball I believe. Her dress for the lotus party should already be ready to go," Haku admitted reluctantly. Chihiro bit her lip gently in annoyance and turned her eyes to look down at the flower in her hands once again. It didn't quite seem as meaningful when Hikaru put it in that light. He was still going to both events with the koi fish, something Chihiro would prefer to forget. "I wish I could ask you to attend with me, but it's too dangerous even if the fox is nearby."

"I know," Chihiro sighed as she ran a hand quickly through her hair and began shifting her bag around to put the rose inside of it, "but I can still have a dance at the ball right?"

Haku looked down at his feet with guilt. He had already agreed to escort Hana to the ball tomorrow evening well before Chihiro's confession. The hope in Chihiro's gaze diminished quickly as she realized the truth in Hikaru's earlier words.

"I will be attending the ball with Hana. I'm sorry Chihiro, but I thought you would go with Lin to the staff party downstairs." Haku back peddled as he tried a different strategy. "It's going to be boring at the ball and not worth your time to attend."

The silence that met his remark did not go unnoticed by either male. Adjusting her now closed bag on her shoulder, she tried to come up with something to say. Noticing her failing mood, Hikaru wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed her tight.

"I was going to wait till later to bring this up but, I actually got two tickets for the siren's concert tonight if you would like to go with me." Chihiro looked at Hikaru and evaluated whether he was bluffing or serious. The sheepish look on his face and the paw awkwardly smoothing wrinkles out of his pants was enough to tell her he wasn't kidding. "I'm sorry I didn't speak up earlier. I was waiting for the right moment."

"It sounds fun," Chihiro replied as she quietly agreed. A shout of anger rose above the crowd in front of them and everyone's attention directed towards the argument. Brushing past the others, Haku hurried towards the altercation with Hikaru and Chihiro hot on his heels. A familiar palanquin hovered at half height as its occupant peered out through the mesh curtains at the weasel glaring at her. Hikaru's hand instantly shot to the dagger on his belt and he wrapped his hand around Chihiro's arm with the intention of moving her far away from the scene at hand. Planting her feet, Chihiro refused to move. It didn't matter how she felt about Haku or Hana at the moment, she was not going to leave her friend there.

"I said I haven't seen him," Lin retorted angrily as Hana stepped out onto a wave in front of her palanquin. The water kept her a lift from the ground. Nearby spirits in the crowd backed away in worry, but the weasel was not intimidated by her display.

"Don't play dumb. We both know you're the spy in the bathhouse. You were probably on your way to the barrier to give crucial information over to the Tainted." Gasps from around the crowd were heard at her claim. Hissing loudly, Lin showed her teeth and her ears perked up out of her normally flat hair. The tension was high in the air as people around them moved away, but watched on rather than interfering. The situation was rapidly falling out of hand. "Or perhaps you have captured the dragon and are preparing to hand him off."

"That's enough," Haku commanded as he broke through the crowd and approached them. Upon spotting him, Hana all but flung herself into his arms. Giving her back a gentle pat, he stiffly removed her from his side.

"Oh Kohaku! I was so worried. I came out of the dressmaker's to ask your opinion and you were nowhere to be seen! I knew something must have happened since you would never leave me alone like that."

"I had an emergency come up back at the bathhouse that needed attending to. I was just on my way back to you," Haku lied easily as Lin settled down.

"Then let us be on our way now that you have returned safely. There is a jeweler down the way that has a package waiting for me," Hana said dismissively as she began to strut her way through her water towards the palanquin. The crowd was not subtly murmuring questions about the weasel before them.

"I believe you owe this lady an apology," Chihiro said loudly. Pushing Hikaru aside, she entered into circle and stood beside Lin. Chihiro wasn't going to let her get away with publicly defaming Lin for nothing. "You just falsely accused her of crimes that could tarnish her name and get her into trouble. Apologize."

"You're an idiot. It was going to be fine," Lin hissed under her breath to Chihiro. What neither of them had been expecting was Hana's cruel laughter ringing out about them.

"Well isn't this precious. How does it feel to be defended by your little sister? No backbone of your own?" Lin looked away and ground her teeth rather than dignifying the statement with a response.

"Hana, didn't I mention how protective I am of my staff members? I don't take kindly to people that insult them," Haku subtly threatened. Pouting and putting on airs, the koi fish began laying on her charms thickly.

"Oh Kohaku, you know that I didn't mean any harm. I was just pointing out that such character flaws are why she can't enter high society and sets a poor example for her outspoken sister. It must be a comfort to know they are always welcome to remain below the stairs in servitude."

"It is not for a lack of manners or grace that we choose to not attend the upper class gatherings," Lin quietly replied. Haku and Chihiro could tell that she was holding her tongue from whatever crass things she wanted to say to the fish.

"Exactly. Don't worry Hana-chan. I will be making an appearance at the ball since invitations aren't necessary for that." Chihiro retaliated. No matter how much Hana hated it, she couldn't prevent them from attending that.

"That's true," Haku commented with a smirk.

"Don't be silly," Hana giggled, "It's not like anybody would be willing to take a weasel spirit of your status. You would stick out like a sore thumb without a date."

"I will be escorting Chihiro to the ball tomorrow night. You can count on seeing us there," Hikaru spoke up as he silently moved out of the crowd to join the girls. Hana rolled her eyes with disgust at his appearance. Though she had to admit he was fairly handsome and his fur spoke of good Northern breeding, the battered work clothes he wore yelled poverty.

"If you let this weasel and fox attend tomorrow night, they will be a disgrace to you and the rest of the bathhouse Haku."

"The ball is open for everyone. I will not make exceptions based on status or formalities," Haku countered as he shifted towards the palanquin. Chihiro smiled at Haku which was not missed by the koi fish. Turning her attention back to Hana, she put up her chin the slightest in defiance.

"The only disgrace that will be there is you with that attitude." Chihiro replied tartly. Twisting around at the speed of light, Hana's hand shot out to slap Chihiro's face. However the koi fish never made contact with her flesh. Centimeters away from touching, her hand rebounded from an invisible shield and began to blacken. Hana let out a scream of horror as she pulled her burned hand back. A low pitched growl resounded from Haku as he instantly moved between them. Hikaru's snarl was barely masked as he took a similar stance.

"I told you that she was under my protection," Haku roared as Hana shrunk back in shock, "Chihiro is bound under contract to me and I won't have you damage her."

Haku's body relaxed as he smelled the pungent smell of fear and burnt flesh coming from Hana. The protective magic he had placed in the hair pins had saved Chihiro twice now, making the bloodlust that ensued upon activation seem a small price to pay. Hana glared at Chihiro with all the hatred in her heart, but Haku stepped into her line of vision.

"Come with me back to the bathhouse and I will heal your hand. I hadn't thought there was a need to warn you of the protection contracts I've placed, but it seems I was wrong." Pursing her lips, Hana gave him a short nod and got into the palanquin with all the dignity she could muster. Together they hurried away and the stagnant crowd began to dissipate back into a flow. Letting out a sigh of relief, Chihiro could tell from the matching looks on Lin's and Hikaru's faces that she was about to get the lecture of a lifetime.

After a stern talk on safety from both of her favorite friends, they found Tsukiko and Okita waiting for them up a ways. Greeting them quietly, Chihiro kept walking forward. The magic of the market seemed dull now after seeing Hana here. It felt like she had lost more of that argument than she had won.

"Where were you guys," Lin asked as they began to continue shopping.

"We were watching from a safe distance. I knew you would handle it just fine," Okita replied.

"See Chihiro, he had faith in me."

"Alright, alright Lin I get it," Chihiro sighed as she picked up her pace slightly.

"Chihiro, why did you put yourself out there like that? You could have been hurt," Tsukiko asked as she grabbed onto Chihiro's hand. She could hear the worry in the young girl's voice.

"It was the right thing to do," she replied with a soft smile for the girl, "I would do the same thing for you."

Tsukiko looked at her with curious eyes and Chihiro felt herself blush in embarrassment. Sometimes it was easier to show emotion than explain it. Chihiro slid her bag around to pull out the gift and nervously handed it to her before shoving her hands in her pockets.

"Here. I got this for you. Now you won't ever have to be lost again." Removing the packaging, the girl recognized the navigation star inside and looked back at her in surprise. Ruffling the girl's curls as she began to profusely thank her, Chihiro moved to the other side of the street to examine the tanks of small underwater flowers on display. As if struck by an idea, Lin stopped midstride and yanked Hikaru down to her level so she could speak quickly into his ear. Chihiro felt Hikaru's gaze on her back as she halfheartedly continued to browse. Tsukiko flitted about nearby talking, but Chihiro couldn't help ignoring the small girl. Her attention was caught by the odd sight of a familiar face moving quickly amongst the tents with a look of concern. Aogaeru, the frog who had stopped her and Haku on the bridge years ago, was moving as if there was a No face stalking him. Dismissing it as nothing, Chihiro turned her attention back to her friends at hand.

.-.-.-.-.-.-..-.-..-

Chihiro felt as if she were moving in a daze as she walked through the layers of the bathhouse upward. Everywhere she passed staff members were fluttering about serving guests that would be attending the lotus party or the outdoor concert that evening. Most of the guest rooms were open so that the occupants could speak across the halls to each other as they got ready with styles more gaudy and outlandish than the next.

"Do you think I should wear the pearl necklace or the diamond choker tonight?"

"I think the diamonds would catch his eyes more. Dragons are known to have a soft spot for jewels," a shrill female voice chortled back. All of it made Chihiro sick and at the same time insecure. She knew that she had promised Haku that she would not attend the lotus party and Hikaru had tickets for the siren's concert, but secretly Chihiro wanted to stake out the party and see how Haku managed all of these women. They all seemed absolutely nuts to her. Keeping her thoughts to herself, she ascended the last lift and threw open the door to the flat. Hikaru silently closed the door behind him and followed her into the living room as she flopped down on the sofa with a frown.

"Are you feeling ok?"

"Yeah just a little tired. I think I'll take a nap for a bit before I get ready for the concert," Chihiro replied as she closed her eyes and relaxed into the soft cushions. If only she could shut out the images of those shallow girls out of her mind…

"Well if you don't mind, I'm going to step out for a bit. I'll be back before dinner to wake you."

"Sounds good." Chihiro didn't actually think she would sleep, but she didn't exactly feel like opening up to Hikaru about what was on her mind either. Something in her gut told her that he and Haku still had a bone to pick with each other and that getting in the middle wouldn't be pretty.

"Make sure you don't leave here without me. Ask Lin to come get me or something, ok?" Mumbling a sound of agreement, she heard him hesitate before leaving the flat. Curling up in a ball, Chihiro turned her back to him and let out a long sigh.

All of her worries about the next forty-eight hours seemed to drag her further into the sofa. The lotus party was tonight and if that wasn't enough, the formal ball was tomorrow night. From what she had gathered from the rest of the staff, none of them attended the ball in favor of attending a casual drinking party in the kitchen. Everyone seemed to have some excuse: nothing of quality to wear, stiff overbearing guests, traditional dances. Lin had spewed at least a dozen excuses over the twenty minute lecture she gave Chihiro on why she shouldn't bother attending. Yet the competitive spirit inside of Chihiro had been incited at the brief meeting with Hana and Haku this morning. She was not going to be put off by that damn koi fish or Haku's half-heartedness. She might not have anything formal to wear in the borrowed wardrobe that Haku provided, but by hell-or-high-water Chihiro Ogino was going to go to the formal ball tomorrow night.

Meanwhile in the water-filled rooms of Hana and Shoko, the two fish were discussing the latest gossip and news from among the many women visiting the bathhouse. Their attendants swam about preparing last minutes waxes and polishes for the evening's events.

"I'm not sure how much longer my father is going to buy it, Shoko. I need to get the dragon to marry me... or at least visit my father with a marriage proposal."

"It was your idea to tell him that Haku had shown you favor."

"I had to come up with something to postpone the miai. He was going to marry me off to a tuna spirit from the South! I would have been the laughingstock of all the Eastern lands."

"And one of the wealthiest in the Southern deserts. Surely that would have made it worthwhile."

"No amount of money would have been enough for me to marry that vile desert dweller. He can't even command water! How am I supposed to preserve my bloodline then," Hana fumed as she tossed a wave against the wall. Twisting the water about her, she sighed in frustration as she thought about the argument that had led to this situation. Invoking Kohaku's name had seemed like a good solution at the time. Her father had always thought highly of the bathhouse master and was ecstatic when she returned home each time to report good news of a progressing relationship. However the letter her father had sent with the kimonos asked her to urgently move the relationship forward before the war took him and other potential marriage candidates away to fight. It seems there had been several battles close to home that had put her father in a hurry to marry her off. He would not wait much longer, making the stakes higher for her than any other marriageable candidate staying for the festival. Hana needed to make the lie a reality and if Haku's kiss was anything to go by, she was almost there.

"I overheard Lady Serena and those shellfish she swims around with claiming your kiss is simply a rumor you invented to draw attention to yourself." Hana sniffed in disdain at the mention of the rival and frowned at her close friend. Though Shoko was also supposed to be vying for Kohaku's hand, she hadn't shown much fight over it yet. Perhaps their years of friendship meant enough to keep her on the sidelines and leave Hana the victor.

"You can't possibly believe her over me, now do you?"

"Of course not," Shoko exclaimed as she put a fin through her hair, "but I also find it a little hard to believe as well. He has not shown you any favoritism from what I can see... So why don't we speed things up a bit and roll the dice this evening?"

Pulling out a small box from her luggage, Shoko swam over to Hana and floated before her. The look of confusion and desperation on Hana's face melted into a smile as Shoko revealed the contents of the box.

"Is that…?"

"Yes. If what you say is true, then this will have your marriage proposal by morning."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Hikaru grasped Chihiro's hand and pulled her gently towards the front of the crowd. The erected stage was similar to that of the ship wreckage they had seen on the opening night, but more elaborate. Eventually they reached a point where they could no longer push forward any further due to the tight crush of spirits around them.

"Is this ok for you," Hikaru asked her as he gave her hand a squeeze. Coming back from whatever trip around the world her mind had taken, she seemed to notice him for the first time since they left the bathhouse. More specifically she had looked downward at their connected hands in confusion. When had they started holding hands she questioned as she gently disengaged her offending appendage.

"This is perfect," Chihiro replied as she admired how close they were. All of the spirits around them seemed restless as the lights began roaming from their holsters on stage. The tension was high as everyone waited eagerly for the performer to appear.

"Oh I almost forgot," he said as he shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out four small pieces of pink coral. Offering them out to her, she couldn't help but look back at him in confusion. Hikaru smirked at her cute expression and tried to explain what they were, but the crowd rose up cheering as the siren appeared on the planks above. His voice was lost in the roaring sound. Rolling his eyes in annoyance, Hikaru placed a piece of coral in each of his ears and motioned for her to do the same. Giving him a look of skepticism, she placed the crunchy shards into her ears and waited as he dug through his pockets for a small piece of paper and a pen.

"Sirens have enough magic in their voices to force those listening to do unspeakable things. Just in case anything happens, we should wear these. They will block out the majority of the magic," he wrote down. Chihiro read it and shook her head in understanding. Looking up at the stage, she took in the tan, muscled man prepping his guitar with great care. His dirty bleached hair, sun-faded clothes, and relaxed pose gave the impression that the stage was as comfortable for him as a seat on the front porch of his seaside villa. He didn't strike her as particularly attractive, but the fangirls screaming all around spoke differently. Picking at the strings and slowly beginning a tune, the man finally looked up to gaze over the crowd below. The smile he gave brought another round of shrieks, but Chihiro couldn't care less about that. She looked over at Hikaru gauging his reaction to the siren and he seemed just as infallibly calm as usual.

Rolls of music began winding like waves before the siren finally opened his mouth. His voice came first as a gentle hum before transitioning to incoherent mumblings. The plucked strings quickened their speed and his muttering shifted into words in a raspy tenor voice. Chihiro was astounded at the strange sensation of the music going right into her, as if she were physically tuning into it. The siren had a lovely voice and when he finally came to real words, the spirits around her seemed to throw back their heads in enjoyment and move their bodies freely. His music moved her, but Chihiro wasn't about to dance like many around her were doing. Perhaps it was the earbuds fault for her lack of departure from reality, but she enjoyed the music nonetheless.

The concert went by too quickly and Chihiro was near voiceless after all of the cheering she had done by the end of it. Together Chihiro and Hikaru walked back hand-in-hand to the bathhouse to keep from getting separated in the crowd.

"The whole reason he agreed to come perform tonight was because his twin sister wanted to attend the lotus party. I heard some yuna talking about how it was such a scandal that she was not offered an invitation as a guest, but rather as a performer," Hikaru relayed as he tossed his earbuds into a nearby trash bin. Plucking hers out as well, Chihiro followed suit and they entered the bathhouse.

"Seems kind of rude."

"I think it has more to do with the fact that the twins are new money rather than old money. Their unknown bloodline doesn't bother their hordes of fans though."

"Who would think there would be a day that I would attend a siren concert with a fox in the Spirit World," Chihiro murmured in awe. Hikaru smiled at her as they piled into the elevator up. Even from there they could hear the muffled cacophony of the lotus party in full swing in the garden. The slowly filling bathhouse seemed to echo the sounds. Thinking about the lotus party made Chihiro's smile slip just the slightest bit as her thoughts turned grim.

"Thank you for a wonderful night tonight, Hikaru. I had a lot of fun," Chihiro said softly as they reached the flat. Haku's office seemed dimmed as if ready for the sun's evening arrival. The emptiness of the flat, the low lighting, and the handsome fox standing less than an arm's reach away was not lost on her.

"Any time. I hope you will enjoy tomorrow's entertainment even more. We will give that koi fish the middle finger when we waltz on by." Grinning at the image, she nodded her head in agreement. A breath passed between them as they looked at each other in waiting. Averting her eyes, Chihiro excused herself for the evening and with a quick bow left him standing there. Retiring to Haku's room, she felt her heart drop as she looked over at the canopy bed. The space felt empty when he was gone and even the fire seemed diminished as if sensing that its usual occupant was missing. Sighing quietly, she walked over to the bed and laid back on it. Why did things with Haku have to work out this way? What could she do to improve their relationship? Letting her hands scrunch up the comforter, she was startled by the sound of paper crinkling. Releasing her grip, Chihiro pulled back the blanket to find a small note written in Lin's handwriting.

"Ditch the fox. Meet me in my room. Don't make me wait up for you.– L"

Chihiro tossed the note into the fire and slunk over to the door. Peering through the space under the door she saw no one inside. Opening the door slowly and as silently as she could manage, she peeked out at the empty living room. Chihiro stealthily made her way over to the office door and glanced underneath. She spotted two white fox feet protruding from an office chair. There was no way she was escaping out that way. Feeling like a fugitive, she considered her options. Hikaru didn't go to bed early if his late rising this morning was anything to go by. It was unlikely that she would be able to talk her way out of his accompaniment either if she passed by him. With a heavy sigh, Chihiro made her way to the nearby balcony. As she had feared, there were pipes between the balcony and the next floor down. A sense of déjà vu overwhelmed her, but she attributed it to her fear of heights. Chihiro grasped the old pipe and slid down it to the next level. Climbing quickly and carefully avoiding looking down, she made it over to an open window. The foreman snored loudly from his futon in the corner as Chihiro slipped into his room. Only throwing a glance in his direction she made a beeline for the door.

Lin was not surprised when Chihiro showed up minutes before she was about to give up and go to sleep. Taking a look in either direction to make sure she wasn't followed, Lin yanked her into the room and shut the door. The weasel's bed was covered with boxes in an assortment of sizes.

"You sure took your sweet time getting here," Lin muttered with a yawn. Brushing past her, Chihiro stood next to the bed patiently waiting for her.

"Let's just say that Hikaru was guarding the exit and I had to get creative to get down here," Chihiro commented as she eyed the packages skeptically. Lin gave her a tired smile in understanding and locked the door. Crossing the space in smooth graceful strides, the weasel spirit placed a tentative hand on the largest box.

"As I told you this morning, there is no way in hell that I'm going to the ball tomorrow night. I have no desire to be around a bunch of snobbish waifs, especially when I could be downstairs drinking with everyone else. That being said, the fox is willing to escort you if you are still determined to go…Are you sure you want to attend the ball? I'm telling you all the real fun is going to be at the staff party."

"Yes I'm sure," Chihiro replied with a small smile. It would undoubtedly suck to see all of the visiting women all over Haku, but at least she would have Hikaru there with her. If all went well, she could probably steal a dance with Haku and stick it to the koi fish in the process. There was no backing out of the challenge she had put down today. The gauntlets had been thrown.

"Then as a representative of us here at the bathhouse, you better stick it to that bitch and make us all proud. We all chipped in to get this for you, everyone except Haku that is," Lin said as she removed the lid off the largest box. Inside of it, a vibrantly alive kimono rested in perfect folds. The embroidery on it depicted cherry blossoms growing every which way. The box lids were all removed showing the thought and time put into every piece of the outfit until finally only one box remained. Noticing Chihiro's curiosity in the final unopened box, Lin picked it up and handed it to her to open. "Hikaru got this for you. He spent some hours this afternoon working for Taka carrying whiskey barrels from the river to the storehouse."

Chihiro lifted the lid away and felt her jaw drop at the kanzashi inside. The silver hair comb had a bundle of cherry blossoms at its top and several longer flower strands tumbling down from its knot. Lifting it up carefully, she took a closer look at the delicate craftsmanship and saw that each petal was a thin cut of pale pink opal centered around dark pink pearls.

"This is too much…this is all too much. I can't accept this," Chihiro started, but Lin put a hand over her mouth.

"You will accept it and wear all of it with pride. If you are going to go to the ball, then you will go and make that damned koi fish eat her words. I won't have it any other way." Chihiro giggled as a few tears ran down her cheeks. She was so grateful and overwhelmed by their generous gift. Lin rolled her eyes and wiped her tears away as she squeezed her cheeks. "Now get out of here before I get all emotional. You need some sleep if you are going to stay up late tomorrow night. Be back here after the midday meal to get ready."

.-.-.-.-.-

Haku looked over the murmuring tables of women from his seat on a raised platform. The garden had been transformed into a tropical escape for the evening by the magic of the young women present. A young siren girl was singing from a high platform across the garden, keeping everyone entertained and talking. The thick jungle foliage that was placed throughout the garden was moving gently with the evening breeze, providing some relief from the thick humidity of water spirits in one area. Sitting to his left in all of her regalia, Shoko sipped her cup of tea with a smug smile. Haku thought nothing of it as he sipped his own tea and listened to Hana drone on about some new ornament she had procured from the market. The koi fish had truly outdone herself in surpassing the other guests and sparkled brightly from her cushion on his right. By first light tomorrow, half the town would be talking about her breathtaking beauty at the party this evening, but the object of her attentions couldn't care less for her efforts. The garden was full of gems tonight, yet none of them would ever shine brighter than his human.

Finishing his third cup of tea, Haku politely excused himself for the evening claiming fatigue. He had been careful to keep his guard up in case of any plots against him arose, but it was draining to maintain it for such a long period of time. Shoko had been considerate enough to prepare the teapot and cups in front of him and they shared the exotic tea she had purchased from the market. It had not provided him the relaxation he had hoped for, but that was fine. He was going to go bathe in his river tonight no matter the circumstances. Bowing to each of the women, he slowly made his way across the garden towards the door to the outside. He was confident that he had avoided any of the prevalent dangers of attending the lotus party.

It was a three minute flight to the balcony of his flat and six steps from the balcony to the tub that was the entrance to his cavern. The odds of him encountering Chihiro in this small space were highly unlikely with the speeds he intended to cross it. However the moment Haku shifted into his dragon form to take to the air that distance no longer mattered. Eyes dilating close to pure black, his mind focused in on the distinctive mix of human and weasel that Chihiro had become through magic. In the back of his mind, it should have registered that something was immediately wrong as he felt his body erupt with desire to go to her. Haku lost the battle to avoid her before even soaring past the third floor. Following her scent, he flew through a nearby open window and skidded to a halt. Chihiro jumped in surprise at his sudden appearance with her fists raised high. In her usual casual clothes and messy hair, she looked to him the most beautiful women in all of the worlds. Recognizing him, Chihiro breathed a sigh of relief and lowered her hands.

"What are you doing here Haku? You scared me half to death there." Chihiro's scent fluttered in the air and he found himself walking towards her thoughtlessly. The rational part of his brain was silently sitting back watching everything unfold rather than questioning why she was alone in a hallway at this hour of evening. It didn't matter at the moment, the dragon was making his move. Shifting while walking, he was within arm's reach in seconds. "Shouldn't you be at the party still?"

Haku closed the distance between them and kissed her hard upon the mouth. Not giving her a chance to speak, he wrapped his fingers into her hair and clutched her close. Hesitant at first, Chihiro began responding back with an equal passion despite the throbbing pain she felt building in her chest. Abandoning her hair, his hands wandered down to push her curves closer to his and he groaned when he felt her nails scratch lightly into his back. Confusion and pain split the lust and desire filling the space about them, but she didn't stop returning his affections. The fire that had taken hold of him earlier was not quenched by her kisses, in fact it seemed to be gasoline and he was quickly lost in the flames of desire. Pulling away slightly, Chihiro tried to catch her breath as Haku's busy mouth worked its way along her jaw.

"Haku, are you drunk," she asked. Chihiro was more than confused with this sudden change in behavior and despite the pain, she was trying to rationalize the experience as a dream or hallucination. There was no way in hell that this was happening right now.

"Not in the slightest. I just want you. I need you in my life Chihiro." His lips worked their way towards her right ear. Nipping her ear lobe, Chihiro gasped in surprise. Haku took advantage of her open mouth and began his attack anew. Her knees gave out, but Haku pressed her firmly against the wall to keep her from melting into a puddle on the floor. The small bit of friction from him adjusting his position made Chihiro moan in pleasure and the sound sent sparks of excitement down his veins. Sucking, nipping and kissing his way down her neck towards the small valley of cleavage peeking up from the cusp of her blouse, Haku listened to the small pants she was making from his ministrations. Haku pulled away to look at Chihiro's eyes and view his handiwork. Her lips were red and swollen from their kisses and her chest pressed against him with each breath she shakily took. A beautiful blush was painted across her cheeks and her eyes were at half-mast. Caressing her face sweetly, he whispered his next words with all the love in his heart.

"Mate with me Chihiro. Let me make love to you tonight and I will be yours for all of eternity." His desire riddled mind took her shocked silence for consent and he kissed her possessively. Pushing against the old magic that kept them apart, he felt his heart fighting to escape his chest and the pain of breaking the seal. It only took him a few moments, but he was already on the verge of collapsing it. Haku was powerful and when properly motivated, as he was in this very moment, he was capable of exceeding his typical capacities. Just as he was about to penetrate the seal, Chihiro shoved him away with all of her strength. Stumbling back a few steps, he looked at her in confusion. Tears openly came down her cheeks as she clutched her chest and looked at him in horror.

"No." Her single word rocked his world. He was on fire with need and desire and she was denying him. The dragon inside of Haku pleaded with him to assert his strength and bite her. Mark her as his and give his primal urges some relief. Just a few drops of her blood in his system would be enough to finish the seal. If she could feel the red string that had already begun to bind them before his intervention, would she stop resisting and give into him? He took a step to get closer, but she took a large side step away from him. Recognizing the lust in his eyes, she began moving away from him with regular steps backwards. "I don't know what's wrong with you tonight Haku, but I won't let you take me in the hallway like some animal. This isn't like you."

"This is me, Chihiro. I don't just want some one night stand with you. I'm asking you to marry me," Haku reasoned as he took a step towards her. Chihiro frowned and shook her head no.

"It's too fast Haku. Even if you are serious and not completely off your rocker, my answer would still be no. Go take a cold bath in your river. We can talk about this tomorrow." Giving him one last quick glance, Chihiro ran around the corner out of the passageway. Haku leaned back against the wall as the recoil of the past few moments replayed through his head. The fire that had been licking at his heels tempered as her scent dwindled from the air. He could tell that she was heading up the levels of the bathhouse towards their flat. Pushing off from the wall, he began walking absentmindedly towards the bathhouse exit. He would have to take a fairly long flight to get to the other entrance of his river, but after her rejection he didn't want to risk seeing her upstairs. The scared look in her eyes haunted him and that image alone brought rationality back to the edges of his mind.

Chihiro ran straight to Haku's room and locked the door before she began pacing. What was wrong with Haku tonight? A confused mess of emotions and longing overwhelmed her. She wanted to go back to him and finish what they had started in the hallway. Logic argued that exploring a relationship with him was more important than bedding him and possibly regretting it in the morning. By that process, she had certainly made the right call. No matter what part of her mind, heart, or body she listened to it all agreed that she wanted a hell of a lot more than this current state of affairs! Pent up, fed up, and wound up Chihiro impatiently paced the room. The image of him leaving with Hana earlier this morning sprung to mind. Haku had not openly stood up for Lin and had even had the gall to walk away with the koi fish. Spotting the husk flower he had given her in a vase by the balcony, Chihiro frowned at it. The blue fluid inside of it was moving around frantically in comparison to its slow movement earlier today. Somehow this morning's events made her feel bought and played rather than loved. Even though she was making the effort to go to the ball, Chihiro couldn't help but wonder if she should give herself a break from all of the drama and just go to the staff party instead. Clenching her eyes shut, Chihiro blew out a large puff of air in frustration and slammed her hands down on the mattress. A loud electrical crack resounded in the air startling her. Looking around nervously, Chihiro slowly walked over towards the balcony. Her eyes finally found the source of the sound. Glass shards were all over the table and there was no sign of Haku's blue magic. The husk flower had shattered.

Haku was nearly to the exit when he saw Hana, Shoko and their attendants making their way from the garden towards the elevator up. Thinking quickly, he ducked within a nearby doorway and placed a reflective water mirror to hide himself.

"I wonder where I should wait for Kohaku to find me. With three cups of Damiana leaf tea in his system, he's bound to be feeling his loins on fire. I was just hoping for him to take a sip and make a public scene, but this is far better."

"I'm surprised he didn't have a reaction when we were sitting there," Shoko replied with a twirl of her fins, "Since it is a herb from the Southern Deserts, perhaps it takes a long time for it to permeate a water spirit's system."

"I couldn't tell you to be honest. The counter tea we drank beforehand did its job well. It's such a shame that the effects only last a few hours."

"You only need to bed him once to get him to marry you. A few hours is plenty of time. I'm going to retire to my room for the evening. If I were you, I'd recommend wearing something he can't say no to and dismissing your servants. Wouldn't want them drowning in the crossfire now would you?" The two of them laughed together as their palanquins loaded into the elevator and begun rising upward.

Haku tore down the mirror and nearly wretched as the bile rising up in his throat made itself known. Even now he felt the fire in his belly burning hotter by the second, begging him to hurry upstairs and take his human. The knowledge of what it was did nothing to ease the daze it set upon his faculties. He took some comfort in their costly mistake. The fish had predicted incorrectly whom his heart was inclined towards and as such, the only passion that rose in him from the drug was for the human woman upstairs. Running outside into the night air, Haku heaved the contents of his stomach over the railing of the bridge. It was no use now, the drug was in his bloodstream. He needed to find the counter tea or spend time at his river detoxing before he got anywhere close to Chihiro again. The fire would only get worse over the next few hours, especially with no outlet. How would he explain all of this to Chihiro once he did finally get clean? She hadn't given him permission, and yet he had pushed forward. An awareness of what he had been about to do earlier hit him full force and the thought of the heavy consequences to come sagged down upon his shoulders. Haku stumbled forward as the sun rose high over the ghost town.


	36. Chapter 34

Good News: I will be updating every Thursday until the arc is finished beginning February 23rd.

Bad News: I had to break this chapter up because otherwise it would have wound up being 10k+ characters. As result there are still three chapters left to go after this one!

Admistsnow: Shattered flower will be explained first thing next chapter. :)

Trastuspies: (insert maniacal laughter here).

To all of my readers, I send my love and thanks. I'm super excited that my writer's block has passed and I am back to writing daily in copious amounts. When this arc is finished, I will have a brainstorm session to see what happens but as of today here is where everything stands:

Time Forgotten has 1 chapter nearly finished for posting and 60% of the plot arc confirmed.

Playing to the Edge has 1 chapter nearly finished for posting and 85% of the plot arc confirmed.

Song of a Dead Bird has revisions needing to be done, but 25% of plot arc 1 confirmed and 100% of the final plot arc confirmed with scene notes written.

Shadow Wars cont. has 85% of the final plot arc confirmed with scene notes written and all of the prep for the final chapters in this arc has been completed. Once this arc is finished, I will begin revising the first arc and adding subtle details to pull upon in the second arc (if they aren't already in place).

Also just for the record, I don't write cliff hangers to torture you all. I simply find it easier and faster for me to pick up writing where I left off if the ending of a chapter is intense.

 **Chapter 34:**

Chihiro reached up to touch the cloth covering her curlers, but a firm smack from the weasel on her left reminded her not to. Shooting an apologetic smile at Lin, she put her hands back in her pockets and looked out over the sea of people. The crowd along the river seemed to stretch for miles on either side as spirits from far and wide waited for the cleansing ceremony to begin. A boat from each side of the river began to move out towards the large flat platform waiting in the center. Though it was hard to see, Chihiro was shocked that Hana did not have the relics for the ceremony as she stepped up onto the platform. Yui would have been aghast if she were here, but the rain was still steadily pouring overhead. What was the koi fish doing breaking from tradition? Haku landed regally on the platform and took his seat on a cushion in the farthest corner from Hana. Bowing deeply, Hana stepped onto the tatami and took her position to begin.

"Where are the relics," Chihiro whispered to Lin. Hikaru looked over at her in question and Chihiro made a fan motion. A look of recognition crossed his face and a frown tugged at his lips.

"Apparently she told the staff sent to prepare her this morning that she didn't need the relics to do the cleansing. At their bathhouse, they don't have relics to use so she hasn't been trained to utilize them anyways," Lin offered up as the dance begun. Chihiro could not see the fine details of her movement from the distance she was at, but it appeared as if her angles were off and her stances lacked steadiness. Nonetheless Haku rose from his cushion and responded to her with an uncanny gracefulness. Watching them slowly fall into rhythm, Chihiro smirked in sadness. That should have been her up there with him. As the two finished the final movements, a gentle breeze brought moist air past them and the spirits around her gasped loudly. Chihiro didn't feel any different than she had five seconds ago, let alone five minutes ago. Turning to look at Lin, she saw the look of horror on her face.

"What's-"

"That's all they created?" Lin's whisper was nearly lost in the crowd of murmuring. Hikaru looked troubled as well as he wiped the fine condensation from his face. The feeling of unsettling acceptance crept throughout the crowd as the two spirits separated and turned away to get into their separate boats. "That magic was supposed to make it to the frontlines for the soldiers' relief, but I don't think it made past the city limits!"

"Chihiro should have performed the ceremony. It would have cast more power than this," Hikaru commented lightly as he turned to look at them.

"What do we do now," Chihiro asked quietly as she looked between them. Sharing a reluctant look with Hikaru, Lin placed her hands on Chihiro's shoulders. The weasel knew that this was not her burden to carry.

"Nothing. It's too late to fix it now. We should get back to the bathhouse and prepare to celebrate the little gift of light we have been given," Lin said resolutely. Giving her a gentle push towards the bathhouse, Lin watched Chihiro follow Hikaru's lead out of the crowd before looking back towards the incoming boat. Haku's face was indiscernible from the distance, but the weight in his shoulders was easy enough to read.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Smoothing out her lips, Chihiro admired the pink paint Lin had carefully applied. The makeup that Lin had spent hours tweaking and perfecting was finally completed. Her face was pale and flawless, and her features had been painstakingly reapplied. With her hair coiled atop of her head and Hikaru's hair pin as its showcase, she looked absolutely stunning. The kimono delicately revealed the nape of her neck in temptation and laid perfectly folded beneath her obi. Lin smiled at her in the mirror, admiring her handiwork.

"It's time, Chihiro." Standing up gracefully, Chihiro smiled at Lin and walked to the doorway. Stepping up into the sandals, she tucked the small charm that had been hanging on the door into its new place in her obi. The charm would keep her weasel identity in place so she wouldn't have to carry around her bag. "Did you want these now?"

Turning to look at the proffered hair pins that Haku had gotten her, Chihiro shook her head no. Hikaru would be at her side for the evening, there would be no need for them. Accepting her answer with a short nod, Lin placed them in a box by her vanity.

Hikaru patiently waited outside of Lin's room in his borrowed formal kimono. He had expected the stiff collar to bother him, but for some reason it felt as if wearing such a garment were completely normal. Checking the time once again, he debated whether or not he should knock. Would it be interrupting to ask how much longer they would be? Lin had told him that she would be ready to go by the start of the ball, but it was already fifteen minutes after the estimated time. Deciding to wait five more minutes before knocking, he was relieved when he heard the door open. The view before him was breathtaking and he found himself speechless as Chihiro took petite steps out into the hallway.

"Yamato nadeshiko," Hikaru whispered in awe as he quickly bowed deeply. Giggling quietly, Chihiro politely returned the bow.

"You clean up pretty nice yourself." Hikaru was grateful that she couldn't see the blush across his cheeks beneath his fur as he straightened back up. Offering his arm to her, she gently grasped his bicep and allowed him to escort her downstairs.

"Don't do anything stupid tonight you two. The whole world will be watching," Lin called after them as they slipped away into the bathhouse. Letting out a sigh, she ran a hand through her messy hair before closing the door to her room. There was still time to get ready for the staff party if she hurried.

The main hall was vibrantly decorated in honor of the formal ball. Paper lanterns of a variety of colors hung about in patterns from the ceiling giving light to the usually dim room. Bewitched platters floated about serving champagne and hors d'oeuvres and on the main stage, a traditional band was performing. The spirits present wore heavy layers of jewels and silks to express their wealth and power as they paraded about gossiping. If they were all together upon a boat, the weight of their greed would have sunk it.

Chihiro and Hikaru entered with little fanfare and politely made their way into the room. Guiding her respectfully, Hikaru kept an eye on all of the curious stares coming their way. The males were obviously interested for the wrong reasons, making their chosen dates for the evening rankled. They mocked her lack of jewelry from afar and made loud tasteless jokes asking if she were a yuna for hire. While some praised her for her beauty, many more looked down upon her lower status and turned their noses up at her. Hikaru could feel her deflating beside him as the negativity surrounded them, but her strength did not falter. She had known that this would be a tough crowd. Perhaps this was how all high class parties go? Leaning down to whisper in her ear, Hikaru asked if she would care for some of the alcohol floating by. Chihiro nodded her head yes and rewarded him with a lovely smile as he nicked two glasses from a platter. She was careful to not smudge her makeup as she sipped the sweet bubbly drink.

A few steps away, Hana swayed slightly from the rising and falling of the water at her feet. As she finished her conversation with another guest, her eyes caught sight of Chihiro. Gaping briefly in surprise, the koi fish stared at the two of them as recognition set in. Hana sneered at them before flicking her fins over her shoulder and floating further away.

"I think that's about as good as its going to get," Hikaru chuckled as Chihiro shook her head in mild disbelief.

"I almost want to make a point of going up to her, but I'm going to rise to the occasion of being the better woman. I don't want to listen to her trash when I'm wearing such a nice kimono," Chihiro replied with a saucy smirk. Abandoning her empty glass on a passing platter, she smiled at Hikaru. "Besides, why should I have to share your lovely company with her?"

"Pardon me, I don't believe we've met before. You are," a rich tenor voice interrupted from behind them. Turning about, the pair was surprised to see the siren from the night before and what appeared to be his twin sister. Though it was obvious that Hikaru was there, the singer was completely focused on Chihiro as his sister looked on with disinterest. Like them, the pair was surprisingly void of a plethora of gemstones and seemed to have settled into the mockery about them.

"Chihiro," she supplied softly and he gave a polite bow.

"You may call me Kitsune-san. I'm Chihiro's date for this evening," Hikaru said matter-of-factly. His smirk at the subtle challenge did nothing to dissuade the siren's interest.

"My name is Hiroshi Mizushima and this is my sister Mai." Upon hearing her name, his sister gave a polite bow and turned her attention towards Hikaru. Looking him up and down in curiosity, the expression she wore made her thoughts obvious. Why was a white furred fox in these lands? Was he not far removed from the roaming ice dunes of the North? "What a beautiful kimono you are wearing! It's nice to see something so traditional in this sea of rocks."

"The cherry blossoms suit her," Mai commented quietly in a voice that reminded Chihiro of chimes in a wayward breeze, "Delicate flowers for a spirit that appears to be a wisp of the imagination."

"Indeed she does look beautiful tonight," Hikaru stated warmly giving further darkening to her prominent blush. Chihiro felt her fears and worries melt away as she soaked in the compliments. The irony of the situation did not get past her. Here was she was, a short lived human, amongst spirits that lived for hundreds if not thousands of years. Chihiro was indeed the short bloomed flower amongst them.

"You look very cute this evening as well, Mai-chan. I wish I could have seen your performance last night. I heard it went quite well."

"It did, but nothing came of it," she replied as her eyes drifted to a commotion behind Chihiro. Hiroshi's eyes looked past Chihiro and focused in on the dragon making his entrance. The wistful look in Mai's eyes and Chihiro's expression when she turned to see what was going on, did not go unnoticed by either male.

"It seems the dragon lacks interest in women of a higher quality," Hiroshi commented roughly as he put his chin up proudly. Chihiro knew he was probably speaking of his sister, but couldn't help the feeling the weight in his words. The heat of Hikaru's gaze on her side didn't help her self-consciousness coming back to the forefront.

"Don't judge him so harshly, brother. You know how it is with spirits in power. They get so tangled up in their lies and manipulation that they fail to see those of us on the outside. It's like they are trapped in a game of intrigue… a shadow war that we cannot comprehend. As the master of the largest bathhouse in the Eastern lands, he is undoubtedly a key player in whatever regional circumstances are at foot."

.-.-.-.-.-…-.-

Haku waited patiently for Hana to join him on the balcony. It had been surprisingly difficult to make his way through the crowd of well-wishers and gossips to the fair koi fish and whisper in her ear hole. The way her face had blushed in excitement was sickening to him, but he kept his composure well. As he made his way towards the balcony, Haku spotted Chihiro greeting some of the other guests near the edge of the dance floor. He was brought to a complete standstill by her appearance and almost changed directions to head to her. Chihiro was smiling happily at the fox beside her, making Haku want to growl and intervene, but the brush of Hana's fin ghosting by was enough to keep him moving. The box in his pocket weighed heavily against his thigh, reminding him that he needed to see to this matter first. There would be time later to steal a dance with Chihiro and tell her how stunning she looked tonight.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Chihiro watched as Haku made his way about the room while still keeping an ear in on the conversation at hand. It was almost as if he was specifically avoiding her area of the room or looking in her general direction. Feeling a bit miffed, she considered her options. Going up to him in a room full of gossiping spirits like this would be dreadfully obvious, especially when he hadn't shown any interest in her. There would be no easy way to bridge the gap between them if he wasn't trying, especially not with these judgmental spirits around. Deciding to bide her time, she hopped back into the conversation while giving an occasional glance to the moving dragon. When she saw him discreetly look at her before stepping out onto a balcony, Chihiro knew it was the opportunity she had been waiting for. Leaning over to Hikaru, she whispered quietly into his ear.

"Wait here. I just saw Haku step out onto the balcony and I want to speak with him alone for a moment."

"Don't take long. I'll miss you," Hikaru replied with a small smile. Rolling her eyes at him, Chihiro excused herself from the conversation and began making her way towards the glass door she had seen him walk out of. Picking up two flutes of champagne from a floating tray, she smiled as she thought about how surprised Haku would be to see her dressed so nicely. Chihiro sipped her champagne as she went through the door. Hours of beautification and preening could make any girl feel confident and tonight could not be more perfect. A breeze swung the curtains out into the doorway making it difficult to see past, but she calmly parted them to see the awe-striking sky. Stars were twinkling above and there wasn't a cloud to be seen for miles, despite the gentle rain that was still falling against the barrier.

Chihiro spotted shadows moving on the other end of the balcony. She strutted slowly forward only to realize that Haku was not alone. Stopping dead in her tracks, Chihiro watched as her dragon offered out a ring box to Hana. As the koi fish opened it, he gently caressed her face and bent down to whisper into the earhole closest to Chihiro. Chiriro's mouth gaped open and shut wordlessly as she imagined the exact expression Hana's face was surely making if it were not hidden by the angle of Haku's head. The scene was so unbelievable to Chihiro that it felt as if she were watching the scene from outside of her body rather than actually being there. The intimacy of the moment was not lost on her and she felt her gut wrench in confusion. Doubt crept into the corners of her mind as she whirled about to put them behind her. Chihiro knew it was an act for him, but by hell it still hurt to see it. Was this how the rest of tonight would be? Watching Haku make doe eyes at Hana and Hana making not subtle passes at him? Drinking the last of her champagne in one swallow, Chihiro chugged the flute she had grabbed for Haku as well before making her way back to Hikaru. Wrapping her arm around his, Chihiro steered him towards the doors and ditched the glasses on one of the many floating trays.

"Where are we going," he asked confused at her sudden hurry. The tight lipped neutrality of her face was a stark contrast to her earlier smile. There was a suppressed uneasiness in her eyes. She was not going to put up with any more drama tonight. Tonight was her night to shine after all the efforts that Lin had gone through to make her beautiful. If Haku was going to spend it ignoring her and pretending to be in love with Hana, then she was going to go to the staff party. They could talk after he was done playing around.

"To the real party. Champagne is just not hard enough to cut it tonight."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"I was surprised you didn't come by my room to get me before the ball. Did the ceremony wear you out as well," Hana said softly as she fluttered over to the railing. It was a beautiful evening and Hana already knew that she was the belle of the ball. Spirits may have been talking about that dolled up weasel, but she was still no competition. In fact, many of them were discussing how the girl was likely a gold digger attending the party with the intention of seducing a rich spirit into becoming her husband. As Hana had warned Haku time and time again, there is no class in a low-bred servant trying to attend high class events. Haku should have simply forbid her.

"No, I was simply trying to find the right words to convey to you my thoughts," Haku said simply as his fingers wrapped around the box in his pocket. Pulling it out, he offered it up to her. Hana's eyes went wide as she looked at it excitedly and as she began to open it, he caressed her cheek softly. Bending down as Hana finally saw what was inside, Haku let the coldness in his voice come through.

"I know exactly what you and Shoko were trying to pull last night," Haku whispered. Hana trembled at the sight of the Damiana leaf inside of the box and her complexion paled in fear. The water in the air around them seemed to polarize towards him in his barely contained rage. "I expect you gone first thing in the morning. Neither of you are welcome here anymore."

"Kohaku look, I can explain-"

"The use of the Damiana leaf without consent is punishable by twenty years hard labor by traditional law. You either leave quietly with your dignity intact or I will make this public and you will suffer for the poor choices you have made." Hana's head dropped in defeat as tears welled up in her eyes. The box dropped from her hands and she looked at the shaking fins in horror. Her shoulders bobbed with the force of her suppressed sobs before she began laughing.

"You can't send me away now. You need me to help you identify the spy. I can find them if you let me stay," Hana replied desperately. Both of them knew she was grasping at straws. Picking up the box and pocketing it, Haku looked down at her without an ounce of mercy. His eyes were unmoving stone that showed no doubt or pity in his decision.

"I don't need the help of someone like you."

"I just wanted you to love me. We could have been happy together." Haku regarded her for an instant with a piercing gaze before turning his back on her. With measured strides, he walked away.

Haku moved through the crowd trying to catch a glimpse of Chihiro or the white furred fox. It seemed like everywhere he went he was being stopped to converse. Time was slipping away and before long, Haku was convinced that she must have slipped away from the party without greeting him. Trying his best not to offend any of the spirits demanding his attention, he kept up appearances and did what had to be done as a representative of the bathhouse. As Haku passed close to an open doorway to another balcony, the curtain moved with the breeze to reveal a rabbit woman with curls staring at him with harsh eyes. His heart dropped as he recognized her. Bowing low, he addressed her and the large wolf standing beside her.

"What an honor it is to be visited by the Seer of the Capital! I didn't receive notice that you would be coming out this way. I hope the ball is to your liking?" Tsukiko looked at him with a pinched frown before motioning for them to walk along the outskirts of the main hall.

"No need to bother with formalities dragon. We both know I'm not here on a social call."

"Then pray tell, why you would make the journey out here to my bathhouse," Haku inquired as they slowly began walking together. Folding his clenching hands behind his back for good measure, he tried to appear relaxed despite his internal fear.

"We have a bit of a situation on our hands at the Capital, Haku. The general leading our forces on the Western plains has been gravely injured and must be replaced immediately. The Elders intend to send the Captain of the Guard to take his place."

"That seems to be quite a predicament, but I don't see why that would be of importance to us here at the bathhouse."

"The Elders would like to bestow upon you the honor of becoming the next Captain of the Guard."

.-..-.-.-..-

Chihiro slammed the empty cup down onto the rough wooden table as people cheered her on. Nimbly flipping the cup over on the first try, applause resounded about the room. Wiping her lips with the back of her hand, she smiled victoriously as Okita shook his head no.

"You win," he shouted over the loud music playing and put his half-finished mug down. Hikaru smirked at the tanuki's loss before putting back the rest of his beer. Several of the frogs had challenged Okita to a drinking game not long after they had joined the staff party and Chihiro had all but jumped to join them. She had sat neatly on a cushion beside the table of choice looking far too refined and beautiful to be taken as serious competition. It hadn't taken her long to crush all of the frogs and eventually the reigning champion tanuki.

"Would you like to dance," Hikaru asked as he set aside his mug and let the liquid courage fill him. Smiling up at him, Chihiro gave him her hand and rose to stand. She was way overdressed for this sort of party, but none of them would let her leave to change. It wasn't every day that their resident human looked like this. There would be no short of dance partners or compliments here and not a frown to be seen. Hikaru couldn't tell if the twinkle in her eye was from her happiness or the amount of alcohol she had consumed. Whatever had been eating at her mind earlier was far from sight. Pulling him swiftly onto the dancefloor, Chihiro's laughter was lost amongst the crowd.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Haku kept his face neutral while he considered the implications of her words. He had no desire to move to the Capital and protect the Elders in their sealed palace. Everything he wanted was here at the Eastern Bathhouse among his friends and staff.

"I regret to inform you that I have no interest in such a position at this time and will respectfully decline. Please send my sincerest apologies to the Elders."

"They had a feeling you would say that," Tsukiko said with a detached cold smirk. Haku came to a halt as if he felt his suspicions rise. The seer regarded him as if he were an object rather than a spirit. "That's why they sent me."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Chihiro stumbled as her legs refused to obey her, giving Hikaru the opportunity to right the crooked girl. Thanking him with a sloppy smile, she leaned against him and together they made their way outside. The sounds of the party still raging behind them began to die away as they finally escaped out into the garden. Taking a long swig from the mug clutched in his other hand, Hikaru was not surprised when Chihiro took it from him and finished it. Both of them were decidedly inebriated past the point of no return as they flopped down on the edge of the walkway overlooking the garden.

"You are totally drunk right now," Hikaru slurred as he looked over at Chihiro's red cheeks. She was straightening out her legs in front of her and staring at her socks. At some point during their dancing, Chihiro had relinquished her sandals and her socks were now dirty from repeated impacts on the floor. Her sore feet were throbbing, but even now she wanted to return and continue dancing. Just had to catch her breath first…and fix her loosened kimono back to propriety.

"So are you," she managed as she let her legs fold off the walkway and hang above the garden floor. The fox had finally loosened up and matched her drinks after they started dancing. Somehow in all of the alcohol and dancing, the moon began weaning out. Soon the sun would rise, the town would fall to slumber and the residents of the bathhouse would have to drag their asses back to their rooms to sleep off whatever amount of intoxication they had imbued. Lin had retired ages ago with the excuse that she needed to be able to manage everyone in the morning. More likely she would be the only one without a killer hangover.

"I haven't felt this free in so long."

"Sometimes it feels better to just let your worries slip away for a while," Chihiro replied as she laid out on her back and felt the world spinning around her. It had been ages since the last time she had gotten this drunk.

"Funny you say that. I think that's exactly what everyone else is doing too. Kami, I can't believe that koi fish couldn't even summon an eighth of the magic that you regularly brought during your practices." Hikaru scooted closer to her and laid down to stare up at the ceiling as well.

"If Yui were around she would have had that koi fish massacred for such a performance. Oh the angles," Chihiro mocked as Hikaru laughed.

"I just… I feel sad that I never got to dance with Haku. I worked so hard practicing and was really excited to have someone to perform with." Hikaru looked over at her and felt his heart squeeze at the small frown on her face. Turning to lean on his elbow, he put his head on his hand. "It's like somehow I haven't finished because I never had a final performance."

"Then why don't we have our own little ceremony?" Chihiro looked at him in confusion, but he seemed calm and coherent to her alcohol hazed mind. He could see the questions forming on her lips and uncertainty clouding her thoughts. "I have no magic to give you, but I promise I will respond to any call you may send. Let me be your partner. Take me in his place."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"It's quite the beautiful bathhouse you run here Master Kohaku, but it has its fair share of gossipers. Some of the tales I've heard over the past few days have given me reasons to be concerned."

"Rumors abound in every bathhouse. Most of them are groundless slander that you should pay no mind to."

"Indeed, but this one tale is particularly interesting," Tsukiko pushed as she began walking again. Haku matched her pace as the wolf prowled behind them. "Years ago a human girl came to this bathhouse while it was still under the control of the witch Yubaba. You were her apprentice at that time, yes?"

"I was Yubaba's apprentice, but I had nothing to do with the girl. She was in our world for only a few days and returned quickly to her world after her contract was burned."

"Funny you mention that. The story that I was told recalled a particular deal you struck with Yubaba for the girl to be released. It seems odd that you would barter for the girl's freedom when you were nothing more than a glorified slave yourself... especially a girl you claim to have not known."

"There was nothing unusual about it. Harboring a human in the Spirit World is a crime and Yubaba was committing treason by doing so. The deal I made with her protected the bathhouse from the Capital's retribution and put me in a position to begin taking over. As you might have noticed, I run a much cleaner business than Yubaba ever did." Tsukiko's eyebrows lifted in disbelief but she refrained from commenting as she thought over his words. Was it hard to believe that the dragon would manipulate his master to gain power and prevent interference from the Capital? Not at all. In fact, the Elders had been pleased when the greedy witch had been disposed of. It was in poor taste that they left her there while the war continued, but Kohaku managed to take care of it for them.

"What an honorable thing for you to do. Yet that fails to explain why so many of your staff are excited that the girl has returned." Letting her words sink in for a moment, she continued. "As master of the Eastern bathhouse and protector of this region, you of course would know that already."

"No one has crossed the border recently," Haku said with assurance, "We have had several small skirmishes outside of my protection spells, but no one has crossed from the human world within the past few weeks."

Tsukiko scoffed at his choice in words. She could tell by his sincerity that he wasn't lying, but there was no doubt that the girl she had clung to over the past few days was human. It just meant that she had been here much longer than any of them at the Capital had anticipated. Letting that part of the matter drop, she switched tactics.

"Don't take me for a fool, Kohaku. You know I have the power to bring you in for a public trial. I'm willing to turn a blind eye to this situation if you agree to accept the position the Elders have offered you."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Chihiro felt the moss weep condensation beneath her feet as she stood catty corner to Hikaru. He was giving her an encouraging smile, but in the back of her mind, a little bell was ringing saying that there was something Yui had told her to remember. She just couldn't quite remember what it was at the moment.

"Just focus on me. Give me everything you got." Taking a deep breath and steadying herself, Chihiro sought the inner peace of mind she needed for the ceremony. It was surprisingly easy to find, as if her inhibitions had been rolled away. As she assumed the first stance, Chihiro saw Hikaru move into a similar stance from the corner of her eye. The moss beneath her toes suddenly became cold. Jumping in surprise, she saw Hikaru straighten up in concern.

"What are you doing," Chihiro asked in confusion as she looked back at the moss beneath her feet. It appeared completely normal as if the sudden chill had all been in her mind.

"I'm just doing what feels natural. You didn't think I would respond to you like a water spirit did you?" Chihiro's silence acknowledged that she had indeed thought he would act in such a manner. Haku and Yui had both sat quietly and only moved once summoned. Heaving a sigh, Hikaru settled back into the starting stance and stared at her. "All you need to do is focus on me and let the rest of the world melt away."

Giving one last glance at the moss, Chihiro found her center again and with a deep breath began to move. This time when the ground beneath her feet chilled on her first step, there was no surprise. Keeping her eyes on the fox, she began her dance. Magic crackled in the air about them, but Chihiro did not falter. Hikaru's movements seemed surprisingly smooth and well-practiced, as if he done this same ceremony hundreds of times before. In the fields of her vision, the world faded away to white around them as if caught in a snow storm. The ground beneath her feet felt frozen solid, yet the cold did not harm her. Chihiro could feel the water come tearing up from beneath the ice and join the snow about them. This was nothing like anything she had ever experienced before. She wanted to stop and look about at the magic about them, but kept her focus where it belonged. Her steps remained steady as she called out for Hikaru.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-..-.-.-.

Haku was careful to keep his body relaxed and his fear under control. Everything in him was screaming for him to run to Chihiro, grab hold of her, and fly for his river as fast as he could. From the rabbit's inquisitive gaze though, it appeared that she was only hazarding a bluff. She had no proof that he was involved with a human or proof that Chihiro specifically was human. As far as he was concerned, all the seer had was a handful of rumors and suspicion. It would have been a well-played move to force his hand if he were a weaker man. Instead, Haku smiled at her.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but there is nothing foul at play here. The staff have been mumbling about the return of that human girl since the day she walked away. It seems they misled you in their antics. I will not take up my sword to defend the Capital when all that I love is here. You are welcome to put me on public trial if you see fit, but that would be wasting both of our times."

As Haku finished speaking, the air inside of the room became chilled and charged with magic. Something big was brewing nearby and everyone could feel it. The pulsing magic in the air was building up and even in its infantile stage, was already pulling their impurities away. Given the rapidly growing strength, there was only one person around who could be bringing forward such a cleansing magic and she wasn't calling for him. The fear he had been holding back came undammed as he realized that the water in the air and ground was going to her beckon. Running as fast as he could, he followed the water towards the source of its movement. Haku could feel the rabbit and wolf hot on his heels as the other spirits remained shock in confusion.

Turning the last corner, Haku spotted a sizeable portion of his staff members standing about a large glass dome in the garden. It almost reminded him of a snow globe with the way that the snow and rain were fluttering about inside of it. Pushing several staff aside, he stepped down into the garden and approached the dome. What had appeared to be glass upon first glance was actually a mesh of pulsing water and ice upon closer inspection. Beyond the internal swirl, Haku could spot Chihiro and that damned fox continuing the ceremony. They were only halfway done! Taking a risk, he put his hand on the barrier to see if he could push through and interrupt them. There was too much power responding to them already and if either of them were not careful, it would consume them both in their inexperience. As if sensing his intention, the ice solidified under his touch and burnt his hand, forcing his retreat. Even if he could get the water to take to his power, the ice held its allegiance elsewhere.


	37. Chapter 35

Well after gorging myself on 7 romance novels, cat snuggles, and a stupid amount of chocolate I finally finished writing this chapter. I forgot how difficult it is to write for a weekly deadline with so many work projects over my head. Next chapter will be up around next Thursday, but it may potentially have to be split into two depending on how the writing for it goes.

Amidstnow: I hope your classes are going well and midterms treat you nicely. Thanks for leaving a review even though you are busy! It sounds like you are worried that there will be a cliche leaving moment and though I guess by technical terms you are right, it's not quite what you are predicting. I am going to be looking forward to your review the most in two chapters. :)

Darkestflare1: Happy Valentine's day to you too! Your question is answered this chapter so I won't repeat it here. Enjoy and thanks for writing.

Cupcake20jenny:I saw your earlier review and wanted to reach out to you. I will happily read your story after I finish my own and would be happy to talk future projects in PM. I try to not read fanfics that are being written on the same subject material while I'm writing so I'm not influenced by anything I see. Best of luck with your writing!

Luin-fanel: Muchas gracias para tu palabras. Mi espanol es mal pero lo intento. The other characters are not forgotten, only coming into play in the next arc. When I go back to edit, I hope to fix the story so there is more holding her to the human world. Thank you for bringing the point up.

Trastuspies: Finally starting to get to the stuff that you haven't predicted ten chapters back. :P

Thanks to all of the reviews, messages, feedback, and support for this story. See you all next week!

 **Chapter 35:**

Chihiro could feel the magic around them getting stronger as Hikaru drew closer. The sensation of it responding to each slow movement she made was breathtaking and exhilarating all at the same time. The smile on Hikaru's face told her that he was feeling it too. As their movements finally brought them together Chihiro let her eyes glance down to her hands. Water rippled and danced in the air in front of her palms almost seizing against the snow whipping about Hikaru. Returning her eyes to his, she began the last stances to send the magic out and close the circle. For some reason from that moment forward each movement Chihiro made towards finishing the dance, the elemental magic opposed her. It didn't want the circle to close or to release from their summoning. Chihiro pulled upon her inner strength to finish and as she did, the magic surged outward in a powerful blast. The effect on both her and Hikaru was instantaneous.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Haku picked himself off the floor from where he had been thrown when the ceremony completed. The forceful wind of the cleansing magic had shook him to his core and had undoubtedly tore through the Eastern countryside at an unprecedented rate. For the first time in the history of the Eastern Wetlands, snow was falling, blanketing their lands in a fresh purity. Walking shakily towards the garden, Haku could see tracks of a body crawling through the snow. Following them with his eyes, he spotted Hikaru clutching Chihiro to his chest. She looked ethereal, more akin to a porcelain doll than human. The cherry blossoms of her kimono stood out against the backdrop of snow. Her eyes were peacefully closed and her painted lips hung slightly open. Hikaru hurriedly pushed the fallen strands of hair from her face and Haku could hear him calling her name, begging her to wake up.

Putting one foot in front of the other, Haku began moving towards them. Moments before the blast he had feared for her, but now he was left with nothing. His fears had been realized and his plans were all for naught. Haku could feel the subtle heartbeat beside his own and knew there was no going back. The seal was most definitely broken. His mind grappled with the confusion of how this could have happened after he had been so careful to prevent it. He was brought to a near standstill when he realized the truth. A cleansing ceremony, even of that magnitude, shouldn't have been enough to break the seal unless it was damaged in some way prior. In fact, she shouldn't have been able to summon water to power it at all. The image of Haku taking her against the wall the night before jumped to mind and he realized what he had done. The force of his realization nearly brought him to his knees. In his drug-induced state and desperate desire for her, he must have cracked the seal…

Chihiro's chest shuddered to life and her eyes flew wide open. Taking several quick deep breaths, she focused in on the fox holding her. Hikaru squeezed her in a hug in his happiness.

"Oh kami, I was so scared. Never do that to me again Chihiro," Hikaru said as he held her body at arm's length to look at her. His jaw dropped in shock as he took in her eye color. Even from his position, Haku could see the strands of ice blue interrupting the usual brown color.

"Why am I sober," Chihiro exclaimed with disgust, but with a shake of her head turned her attention to Hikaru's confused expression, "Is something the matter?"

Before either of them could speak, the air about them tensed with magic and a silencing shield surrounded them. Knowing who it was, Haku refused to look back at the approaching rabbit and wolf. There would be no stopping the Seer from taking them both to be executed. His mind raced in a flurry as he tried to think of a solution. If he could kill the wolf quickly, the barrier would drop and give him a chance to grab Chihiro and escape. Chihiro moved to get up and was surprised when Hikaru let out a loud growl. Looking up, she followed his gaze to Tsukiko and the wolf walking beside her. With his ears pinned back in warning, Hikaru moved in front of Chihiro in a defensive stance. Perhaps Haku could trust the fox to protect Chihiro from the rabbit while he tried to take down the wolf.

"Thank you Daisuke. I believe that this is a conversation best held without others' ears."

"Tsukiko," Chihiro asked as she tried to put the image of the joyous vibrant rabbit girl to the serious woman before her. Tsukiko's eyes shifted to stare at Chihiro's before she heaved a sigh and redirected her attention to Haku.

"You know I cannot turn a blind eye to this. There are too many witnesses," Tsukiko said motioning towards the recovering staff members that were returning to see the aftermath. Shaking her head in disappointment, the rabbit walked up to Haku and glared at him. "Did you really think you would get away with what you've done?"

"Seer," Hikaru remarked with hatred, bringing her attention back to him.

"I was wondering how long it would take for you to remember me. They say the North always remembers, but you seem just as ignorant this time around." Hikaru let out a hiss and bared his teeth in warning. Chihiro was still trying to grapple with the sudden changes in everyone's behavior. Haku was looking straight ahead as if all he had loved had died, Hikaru appeared as if he was about to tear the rabbit a new throat, and Tsukiko had a disdainful sneer twisting her pretty face. Chihiro half expected the grumpy wolf to break out in a smile!

"Tsk tsk Kohaku, no wonder you are so careful with the rules. Didn't want to bring any attention to yourself? I'll admit you had me fooled by leaving the fox beside her. I almost believed your little ruse."

"Who says it's a lie? I've claimed this woman under my protection." Tsukiko giggled at Hikaru and threw him a pitiful smirk.

"Come now, fox-kun. You can try to bind her any which way you like, but you will never have anything on what the dragon here has taken. Does she even know of the sin you've committed? Your pretty little dove?" Haku clenched his jaw but he kept silent as Tsukiko walked about him, savoring the moment. Daisuke stood at the ready with a hand on his blade, but nobody made a move. The rabbit laid her small hand carefully on his arm and playfully leaned against him as she looked back at Chihiro with an eager smile. "Taking a human for a wife. What scandal!"

"I believe you must be mistaken," Chihiro spoke up as she stood and brushed the snow off her kimono, "Haku and I haven't done anything of that sort."

Chihiro's confidence on the matter made Tsukiko laugh whole heartedly. Haku's eyes darted over to look at Chihiro despite his outwardly morose composure. Hikaru's shoulders slumped noticeably as he glanced back at Chihiro in disbelief. Even the fox knew that water didn't just come to anyone's summons and it most definitely did not come to a regular human woman.

"Oh Chihiro, you really are the sweetest. A little naïve, but your heart is in the right place. It's a shame you shacked up with this fellow. He isn't worth the pain he will bring you."

"I'm serious. I haven't slept with Haku, mated, bound or whatever it is you call it around here." Tsukiko's laughter was cut short as she looked at Chihiro's seriousness with pity. The rabbit sincerely liked Chihiro and it was becoming increasingly apparent that the dragon had led the girl blindly. She probably didn't even know the consequences of such actions here in their world.

"So that's how you were able to keep this hidden! Was she unconscious when you finally got blue balls and froze the process? Did you go so far as to erase her memory of your relations so she wouldn't be able to remind you of the disservice you had done her?" The growl that left Haku made Tsukiko back off, but Chihiro could feel the silence that followed. She felt her heart stop as Haku didn't bother to correct her.

"What is she talking about Haku," Chihiro asked as her voice got a little high at the end. She couldn't recall them ever being intimate past a kiss or two, and they sure as hell hadn't made any commitment to marriage. Her voice wavered as she called his name again. Looking away from her in shame, Haku looked at the snow covering the garden wall.

"I was going to talk to you about it after everyone left tomorrow," Haku admitted quietly. The look of confusion and disbelief on Chihiro's face killed Tsukiko's smirk. The rabbit pitied the girl who was standing there shell shocked. Chihiro loved Haku, but they hadn't even talked about this. Hell, they hadn't even talked about his actions last night! Hikaru wanted to turn around and hug her, but there was too much of a risk with turning his back to the agents of the Capital. If what the seer implied was true and the dragon had started the mating bond, then both of their lives were already forfeit before the law.

"What do you mean you were going to tell me tomorrow?! This is something we should have talked about before you started!" Haku took her angry shouted words in silence. There was a sadness about his acceptance of her outrage. He recognized that there were many things he should have done differently from the moment he saw her again in front of the portal. Yet there was not a magic in the Spirit World that allowed someone to rewind time and fix it. Haku had to face the hole he had dug himself.

"I accept the Capital's offer," Haku said resolutely as he turned his empty gaze to look down at Tsukiko, "I will become the next Captain."

"WHAT?!" Chihiro's indignation matched Hikaru's silent surprise. Unlike Chihiro, Hikaru knew exactly what that decision meant.

"That's no longer acceptable. The Elders will need to deliberate with this change. You will have to stand trial," Tsukiko replied as she stood her ground before the dragon.

"I want to barter for the human's life. I have information about the situation up North that could change the warfront. Spare her life and I will tell you all that I know," Hikaru interjected. The seer looked at him anew with curiosity as he glared back at her. He was as unflinching as the cold breeze that rocked the mountains in the North.

"Who would trust any information you offer? You faked your own death and left your people to die! Seven brothers in charge of guarding the far Northern territories and not one of you protected the land from the Dark ones. You should be ashamed of yourself," Tsukiko retorted with anger. Sneering at him with disgust, she turned her attention back to Haku. "You will accept a contract with me to return to the Capital and stand trial."

Haku offered out his right hand to her in resignation as Chihiro shouted at him to stop. Hikaru held her back before she could rush towards them and put a hand over her mouth to keep her quiet. Tsukiko grasped Haku's arm and silver cords of magic spun between their arms leaving a large black stain in its wake. Haku hissed in pain as the contract sealed. Releasing him as if he were filth, Tsukiko nodded towards Daisuke. The barrier around them lifted and the rabbit haughtily addressed everyone present.

"Master Kohaku has been accused of initiating a mating bond with a human and will be returning to the Capital with me at first light to stand trial before the Elders." Several staff members gasped in surprise and whispers broke out amongst the crowd, but no one stepped forward to provide evidence of the claim. Even if their master had broken the law, they would stand by his decision in silence. Tsukiko turned to pointedly look at Hikaru and Chihiro as she continued. "Traditionally, the human would stand trial alongside their partner and be given the choice of death or sacrifice for the good of the worlds. However, I have yet to discern his partner amongst you."

The lie stood in stark contrast to the expected and Hikaru understood the implicit meaning that the seer was giving him. She was going to spare Chihiro, giving him the chance to get her out of there. Many staff members held their breath as the tension in the area skyrocketed. Any effect of alcohol had long been wiped from their system by the cleansing ceremony and a particular Tanuki found himself grasping for a bottle to drink from at the turn of events. The rabbit moved to address the still frozen dragon.

"You have until morning to get your affairs together. We leave at first light from the courtyard in front of the bathhouse. I suggest you use that time wisely.

.-.-.-.-.-…-.-.-.-

Haku felt himself sink down into his office chair as he began to mechanically go through the list of things that would need to be done in his absence. Lin in her pajamas sat in one of the office chairs before him, the foreman in the other, and Hikaru stood by the fireplace refusing to look at him. The fox had left Chihiro in the living room to wait her turn after Haku had asked him to join the meeting.

"It will be at least a three day flight to the Capitol and the trial could take up to two days to be completed. If I am proven not guilty, I plan to return to see to the successful transition of power before departing for my new position in the Capital. Lin, you will be taking over as bathhouse master as soon as I depart. When Yui returns please see that she becomes the next-in-line. You will need her power if the battles on the front get closer."

The weasel silently nodded as Haku continued going over the minute details that would need to be taken care over of the next few days and in the upcoming weeks, should he not return. As Haku finally finished saying what need to be said, they sat in silence for a few moments as he tried to collect his thoughts on the last subject he wanted to breach with them.

"Kitsune-san…," Haku started, but trailed off as he struggled to say the words on the tip of his tongue, "Hikaru."

Hikaru looked back at him with anger and hatred. There would be no forgiving the dragon for the pain he had brought Chihiro or for what he had started. The woman he had left sitting on the sofa in the other room deserved better than the games he was playing. How long had she carried on believing her feelings were one-sided?

"I don't know if what the Seer said was true, and frankly right now, I don't care. I am going to trust you with something far more important than this bathhouse or staff within it. If I don't return by nightfall on the eighth day, I want you to take Chihiro and make her cross back to the human world."

Hikaru and Lin both opened their mouths to protest, but Haku waved his hand cutting them off. The foreman silently looked at the dragon with an understanding pity. Though he was by nature a greedy and capricious man, he had a deep respect for the decision that the master of the bathhouse was about to make.

"If I haven't returned by that time, it means that the Elders have executed me for treason. There is a chance they will come back for her and I don't want to risk her life any more than I have. Chihiro will be nothing more than a human again if I die now and she could return to her human life in ignorance of all that has happened. Does she not deserve a life of happiness without the sorrowful memories I have given her?"

Silence followed his shaky confession and Haku had to take a few deep breaths to compose himself. He couldn't think of Chihiro in the other room right now. It was too hard. Every time he did, he could feel his throat close up just the tiniest bit and a pain in his chest ache. He would save that hard conversation for last.

"I will make sure that she is happy," Hikaru spoke softly as he looked back at the fire. Lin frowned as she rubbed her eyes. Of course she wasn't crying! She was simply studying the fringe on the carpet and some dust got into her eyes. Haku stood up and placed his hands on the desk as if to draw strength from it.

"It has been an honor to work with you both," Haku said with a deep bow to Lin and the foreman.

"No the honor has been ours Master Haku," the foreman said as he jumped up to return the bow. Lin quickly stood and bowed as well, but remained silence. As the foreman moved to the door with the intention of leaving, Lin stood looking at Haku with serious eyes. She wanted to tell him how much of an idiot he was and how stupid this whole situation was. He could have prevented so much of this! Yet the words she wanted to say would not come out of her mouth. He already knew what she would have said and he was already hurting more than he was letting on. Walking around his desk, Haku put his hands on her shoulders.

"You can do this Lin. You have taken on bigger challenges than this."

"I'm not worried about the bathhouse, you dope! I'm worried about you!" The emotional outburst from the weasel brought a small smile to Haku's lips. Their relationship was founded in sarcastic teasing towards each other, but right now there was a brutal honesty to her speech. Of course she always saw right through him and spoke her mind. Giving her a reassuring squeeze, he guided her towards the office door. As he nodded to the foreman to open it, he was surprised to see nearly all of the bathhouse staff crowded in the small space between the elevator and the flat door. A cacophony of voices rose up in greeting, shouting their well wishes and worried thoughts. Haku took a deep breath and addressed them with a calmness he was not feeling. Chihiro would have to wait a while longer.

.-.-.-..-.-..-.—

The last shadows of darkness were slipping away into sunshine as Aogaeru walked along the old side entrance into the bathhouse. As one of many paths in the interchanging mazes on either side of the bathhouse and not a preferred route for either staff or guests, he wasn't anticipating anyone to be around. Nobody ever expected the small frog of being anything more than his usual dull, clownish self, but soon that would change. He hadn't been scheduled to make another drop for a few more days, but the exciting events of the evening sent him running for his mistress. Her anger at his sudden appearance had frightened him, but she had warmed considerably with the news he brought. The bounty of his reward had made all of it worth the effort. The other staff members would no longer laugh at him when he was finally made their master. Aogaeru wiped off the remaining soot on his hands onto his handkerchief before attempting to slide it back into his pocket. The slip of fabric fell to the ground and as he bent down to pick it up, he felt the chills of someone watching him.

There was no time for him to act before a tendril of water appeared in front of him and surged forward. Trapping him against the bathhouse wall, the water sealed him there as its master floated closer. The koi fish was admittedly not at her best at the moment, but the drive to capture the spy had been strong enough to ignore her pride. Her earlier tears had ruined her makeup and the charcoal that had been about her eyes now made severe black lines down her face. She had lacked the confidence to return to the ball after visiting with Haku out on the balcony and had used her water to slip away unseen. It was only by fortune that she had stumbled to this particular path to cry in solitude, but now she was almost grateful. Funny how when she was at her worst, fate had deemed that now would be the best time to reveal whom she had been searching for. Glaring at the frog as he judged her rather shambled appearance, Hana bent down to retrieve his handkerchief.

"Hana-sama! Why are you out here alone," Aogaeru asked with an uncomfortable chuckle. He felt himself begin to sweat as the sun began to come over the wall and hit him. Tucking his head down so he could see her better, he saw the handkerchief clutched in her grasp. "Thank you for picking that up for me. I was just about to take care of that."

"Impure soot from a Tainted spirit," she said quietly as she looked from him to it and back, "Where did you get this?"

"I found it down by the Old Market earlier. I thought I would bring it back and show it to Master Haku," the frog lied nervously. He didn't handle pressure well and being trapped against the wall wasn't doing much for his mental state at the moment. Carefully folding the handkerchief, she slipped it within the obi of her kimono.

"I know you are the spy, frog. There is no point in lying," Hana said coldly as she watched him sweat under the sun's piercing early rays, "The question is if you were coming in from dropping off information or going out to do the deed?"

Aogaeru focused all of his energy and tried to jump free of the water. As he surged up and over, Hana grabbed him by the throat and shoved him back. His legs kicked into the air as she held him there. Ordering the water to bind him tighter, she watched his eyes pop slightly in fear.

"What Haku did to you was wrong," Aogaeru gasped as he tried to make more space for his crushed windpipe, "He made you a fool in front of all the others and left you weeping alone out here. What honor do you owe him? What loyalty?!"

Hana froze and considered his words for a second. The right thing to do was to keep the frog bound and bring him to Kohaku. Perhaps giving him his spy as a present would lessen his harsh punishment for her. However the anger at his treatment of her and the feeling of being manipulated rose up from the darkness within her. Hana hated Haku for scorning her attentions. She was the most beautiful spirit in all the land and he had turned his back on her. The desire for revenge was seeping up from the black impurities bubbling forward and taking root. As if sensing her weakness, the frog opened his mouth to speak, but she silenced him with a squeeze of her hand.

"If I let you go, will you take down the dragon? Can you crush everything he holds dear," Hana asked quietly. She lifted her averted eyes to stare at his in questioning. He smiled as he felt her grip slacken.

"I can and I will. You need only set me free and walk away. By the time you get back to the Lotus, Haku will have lost everything." Hana considered his words for a moment. This was a turning point. The darkness inside warred with her emotional mind. She could have her revenge, Haku would regret not accepting her. Releasing her hold, Aogaeru fell to the ground and he coughed harshly to clear his throat. He stood up and brushed the dirt off his slacks before smiling at her. "You made the right decision, Hana-sama."

As the words left his mouth, Aogaeru felt a force shove through his chest. Looking down, he was shocked to find Hana's fin embedded within him. His life blood was pounding out at a tremendously fast rate, coating her fin and the ground beneath him. Retracting her hand, Hana watched him collapse to the ground at her feet. Ordering her water to dispose of all the evidence, she handed it the handkerchief and let it take the blood off her fin. Turning her back on the scene, Hana floated towards the bathhouse side entrance with a serious expression on her face.

She might have taken care of Haku's little spy, but that didn't mean the info hadn't already been leaked. It could be the straw needed to break the camel's back. Rationalizing her decision to end his life and destroy the evidence, Hana decided her course of action. She could warn Haku of the potential information leak, but that wouldn't give her vengeance. Instead, she was going to walk away in silence. She wasn't going to tell Haku the crime she had committed or the potential danger to come. He already knew there was a spy, it would be up to him to figure out the rest in a reasonable fashion. Shaking her head of the smidgen of guilt pervading it, Hana looked down at the fast draining water beneath her. The usual blue green tide was nearly black and barely holding her an inch off the ground unlike its typical six inch swell. There were consequences for every action.

.-.-.-.-.-.-…-.-..

Hikaru closed the door to the office silently as he spotted Chihiro sitting out on the railing of the balcony. Her shoulders were slumped with her hands folded neatly on her lap and she stared at the sun transforming the land. The tents and the river were being hidden by the portal magic and the green sloping fields that replaced them moved with the breeze. Walking up beside her, Hikaru leaned against the rail and looked out with her. The weight of his returned memories and the situation at hand left him feeling rather quiet as well. Chihiro took a deep breath of the crisp chilled air. The snow had only stopped a few minutes ago, but everything around them seemed to be eagerly sucking it in leaving nothing behind.

"The land here has been properly cleansed thanks to you," Hikaru said quietly. Chihiro glanced over at him, but held her silence as she looked back again. The landscape appeared nearly the same as it had when she had crossed the first time in ignorance. "I wish I had known you before all of this…perhaps things would have turned out differently."

"Have your memories come back?"

"I wish they hadn't." Hikaru's face became nostalgic and sad as he seemed to look past the view in front of them to see the past. Whatever it was that was haunting him had placed the world's weight back on his shoulders. "I have to return to the North, Chihiro. If the Capital won't fix what has happened, then I must try myself."

"What happened to you," she asked quietly. The words sounded almost like a thoughtful whisper in the silence surrounding them. "How did you get from the North to lying in the river before the bathhouse?"

"I'd rather not tell you, but I won't have secrets between us. I want you to trust me, Chihiro." Turning to face her, Hikaru pulled himself together and gave a most eloquent bow. "My name is Hikaru Yukiyama and I am the youngest son in a long line of Northern royal Foxes. My brothers and I were tasked with protecting the different providences of the far North shortly before the war broke out. All was well at home and on the war fronts until several weeks ago. My eldest brother announced a gathering to honor his upcoming engagement to the snow woman Nomi and so our family drifted out of the snow dunes to come together. Nomi however had set up the engagement party as a trap. It was a trick to get us all into one place so we would be easily disposed of by the Tainted. As the party was about to begin, I slipped upstairs to my room to put away my sketch book and I overheard her placing a mock distress call to the Northern bathhouse. She told them baseless tales of how our family's greed for power had brought us all into darkness and that she was fleeing for her life at the moment. Realizing her plans, I ran to warn my brothers of the impending attack, but I was too late. Everyone was consumed by the Tainted and only I remained. I don't remember how I escaped that battle, but the last thing I recall is falling from the fifth story balcony."

"That's terrible!"

"I believe Nomi is at the Northern bathhouse trying to take it down from the inside out. With the Far North taken, it would only take the fall of that bathhouse to capture the rest of the land and obtain a strategic high ground over the Capital."

"You have to tell Tsukiko and Haku. They can relay that information to the Elders and send reinforcements for you."

"As you heard earlier, why would they believe me? It's my word against hers and the proof is framed in her favor."

"I believe you and I'm sure Haku would as well." A moment of silence followed as Hikaru bit his lip in disbelief and averted his eyes.

"Chihiro, when the time comes, will you return with me to the North? I know it is probably too late to save most of my people, but if we performed a cleansing ceremony of the same magnitude that we did here…" Hikaru trailed off with his intention obvious.  
"I can do that," she replied certainly, "but I'm not leaving here until Haku is back safe and sound. Let's get these problems dealt first and then we can discuss heading North. Besides, there is no guarantee that the Master of the Northern bathhouse hasn't seen right through her and taken care of the issue already."

The sound of the office door opening captured both of their attentions, though only Hikaru looked back at the worn out dragon. Giving him a nod, Haku watched the fox say goodnight to Chihiro and leave them. The door slammed shut behind him and the two were left in silence. Chihiro continued to look out over the fields unwilling to turn around and face him for the moment.

"Would you come inside," Haku asked gently, "There is much we need to discuss."

Chihiro considered her options carefully before swinging her legs back over the railing and walking inside. Motioning for her to take a seat on the sofa, Haku closed the door behind her and then proceeded to shut every window in the room. Ignoring him to stare into the fire, she was surprised when he tossed a small pouch into the flames. When Chihiro looked up at him in question, Haku gave her a halfhearted smile.

"I hope you don't mind if I burn some incense while we talk. Care for anything to drink- tea, coffee, whiskey?"

"Water please," Chihiro replied. Giving her a nod, he retrieved a glass of water for her and a mug of tea for himself. He set them down upon the table before the sofa and sat down opposite her. Pulling her eyes away from the smoking fire, she felt the incense begin to fill the room as she gave her attention over to Haku. There would be no turning back now.


	38. Chapter 36

Finally the end is here. I had writer's block writing this chapter (I'm sure it shows), but now that the arc is over I can begin the nice process of editing. As a birthday gift for a dear international friend of mine, I am posting both chapters now at once. I know this chapter has quite a few holes and areas that are brief that could use fleshing out, and I promise I will get around to fixing them as I edit.

J Luc Pitard: Thanks for pointing out that weakness in the plot thus far. I'll make sure to fix it when I go back through and edit everything!

darkestflare1: She is not a spirit but she's not quite human either as you will read below.

Thanks for all the reviews, support, and patience everyone!

 **Chapter 36:**

"Is that all," Chihiro whispered as she turned away from the window in front of her. The sun was well up in the air and incense hung heavy about them. Their discussion had been going on for what felt like hours in heated loops and at some point, Chihiro had moved to standing by the closed window. The distinctive ticking of the clock running out of time beat in the background over the crackling of the fire. As if scrambling to protect himself from whatever retort or jab she might call forth this time, Haku nervously fidgeted his hands. "Is that everything you were hiding from me?"

Haku gauged her frighteningly detached response and wondered how much more she could take. He had told her everything, not a small stone unturned in his explanation. Would throwing one more thing on his pile of misdeeds break her?

"The incense I threw into the fire was a gift from Okita. It is a high power tanuki ash that bends the confines of reality. We are not actually having this discussion." Haku stood up and faced her as she scoffed at him. Closing the distance between them as if he could bridge the gap between their hearts, Haku laid his thoughts out plainly. "Hit me, scratch me, bite me, whatever it is you need to do to feel better… just don't bottle up your emotions and hide them away. Let it out now. There is nothing you can do here that will affect the real world."

Glancing back out the window, Chihiro gave a small sigh as a tear rolled down her cheek. All of the emotions she was feeling were overwhelming, but she was torn mostly between anger and sadness. If he had just trusted her from the start, wouldn't they have had a better outcome? It was a little late now to fix things with him leaving for the Capital first thing in the morning. Her anger was melting into a desperation for more time, but he had no more to give.

"And what if I said that I didn't want to do those things?"

"I will take whatever punishment you see fit. Don't hold back on my account," Haku said calmly as he resigned himself to the inevitable. He was wrong in his actions and though he thought it was for the best at the time, it was obvious now that he had failed her. If violence would help her heal, then so be it.

Chihiro twisted around and closed the space between them. Lifting up onto her tip toes, she smashed her lips against his in a kiss. His shocked lips moved slowly against hers and she relished the lack of pain accompanying it. Haku wasn't comprehending the swift change in tides as she pushed him slowly back towards his bedroom door. He was speechless as she began to make quick work of the garments between them all the while kissing him passionately. As her lips drifted down his neck, he could hear every ragged breath that he took. Haku started to ask her why she was doing this, but the sound turned into a guttural moan as she bit down on the soft flesh of his clavicle.

"Then I want you to love me the way you should have from the start," Chihiro rasped as she shoved his shirt aside and began to lick her way down his chest. Wrapping his fingers through her hair, Haku felt his restraints falling away under the intense pleasure she was bringing him. At the rate she was going they weren't going to even make it into the bedroom. What sort of punishment was this?

"One night isn't nearly enough time. Hell, an eternity wouldn't be enough time," Haku whispered as he brought her upwards from a dangerous territory. She was going to spring him before he had the chance to even begin if he allowed her to continue. Teasing a hand along her curves, Haku released the door handle behind them and allowed their bodies to spill into his bedroom. Responding without thought, his hands began helping her out of her clothes as his brain still tried to think her actions through. No clothes remained between them when she finally got him down onto the bed. "I think you'll regret this in the morning."

Chihiro silenced him with a kiss and Haku knew he was defeated. If this is what she wanted, then he had absolutely no complaints (in fact he could think of a dozen exclamations). He couldn't keep up with her even if he wanted. If this was going to be their last night together, he was going to accept the gift she was giving him. One night may be all they had, but he was going to spend every last minute of it cherishing her.

Haku settled his pack among the rest of the luggage waiting to be loaded and turned to look back at the bathhouse one last time. High above him, a curtain bellowed out of from one of the windows in his apartment. Chihiro was still sleeping up there, no doubt still shaking off the tanuki ash. The small gift of such a powerful tanuki ash was priceless and if he lived past this trial, he would find the tanuki again and reward him handsomely. At least Haku could die with the memory of last night in mind if the Elders decided to execute him and Chihiro would be safe no matter what happened. Glancing around at the bathhouse guests preparing to depart, he spotted Hana's palanquin moving out. With the festival over there were many spirits trying to getting an early start on their long travels.

"Is she coming," an angelic voice questioned quietly from behind him. Haku turned to look back at the detached look the rabbit was giving him.

"No. I thought it best that she wasn't awake for this," Haku looked back up at that window longingly. If he had only have a few more moments he would fly up there to see her sleeping face one last time. Tsukiko's lips turned down in sadness. It was hard to push for the right decisions when she became involved with the players in her web. They became more than just chess pieces. She shook off Daisuke's reassuring touch and looked over the crowd of people that had come to see them off. The white furred fox stood frowning at the edge of it. As Haku made a final pass of goodbyes, he stopped at the fox last.

"I hope for Chihiro's sake that you return swiftly."

"No you don't," Haku chuckled darkly. As much as the two spirits didn't like each other in the slightest, they both recognized their mutual feelings for the girl sleeping upstairs.

"Chihiro would be upset if you didn't return, at least until she crossed the border. But there is no point in pretenses. You already know how I want that trial to turn out," Hikaru replied coldly. Haku grimaced and gave a brief bow.

"Thanks for the words of encouragement. I'll be sure to return now, if only to spite you. Keep her safe while I'm gone." Turning his back on the bathhouse, Haku joined Tsukiko and prepared to meet his fate.

Chihiro jolted upright as if she had startled awake from a nightmare, only to find that she was not where she was supposed to be. Confusion brought a frown to her lips as she looked around her. Moonlight and rain were pouring in through the open windows and the sounds of the bathhouse at work were well underway, meaning that she had slept in quite later than expected. The blanket that had been covering her pooled about her waist from the sudden movement and she tentatively grasped the back of the couch. What was she doing on the couch anyways? Last thing she remembered was falling asleep in Haku's bed after…but she wasn't sore at all. It was almost as if they hadn't done anything of that sort last night. An emptiness filled her as she recalled the night's events. Wiping at her nose with her hand, Chihiro looked at the familiar tanuki ash on her finger. Shoving off from the sofa with a few mild curses, Chihiro dragged herself to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. A fine powder of yellow and black ash coated her nostrils and she had successfully smeared some of it with her touch. The unusual pallor to her skin and streaks of blue in her eyes made it seem as if she were a different person, someone on the edge of changing to who knows what. Though he had been honest with her, a part of her felt like he had had the last laugh on the matter of their relationship. Why use the tanuki ash if they were just supposed to be talking in the first place? Realizing that her questions were useless when the man with the answers had fled, Chihiro washed off the ash and hurried out onto the balcony. It was much too late to try and catch Haku if the lack of caravans in the courtyard were anything to go by. He was already long gone by now. Cursing her aching heart and the vivid daydreams of all that could have been, Chihiro felt a single tear slide down her cheek.

"I regret nothing," she whispered shakily out to the listening wind.

.-.-….-.-.-.-.-.

There was something to be said about the Capital. Despite its grand structures and overflowing beauty, Haku could easily see the filth in its core. War hadn't touched this city in thousands of years and the haughty residents reflected it. Some would say it was paradise how most of its inhabitants lived in ignorant bliss of the suffering occurring in the outer lands. Those that did know, often did not care since it did not directly affect them. The price of serving the country was the phrase muttered to justify their indiscretion. The palace where the governing body lived and worked was a closed compound in the near center of the city. Not much was known about the Elders other than they were a council of powerful spirits that had spent generations enforcing laws for the better good. Eternity living in the same four walls could make anyone crazy, but it was a well-known rumor that the Elders staved off their boredom by collecting spirits of unusual talents. Tsukiko was one of those pets, and it was unusual in itself that she was permitted outside the walls. On the handful of occasions that Haku had been to the Capital, he had never gone inside the palace or met any of the so called Elders.

The large carved doors were opened as they climbed the palace steps. Giving a nod to the guards at their posts, Tsukiko guided Haku through the maze of passages towards the holding cell. They would give him a short time to rest before the trial began. It would be long enough to prepare his defense if he needed to, but short enough that there was no time to call for backup. Not that he would. He was in this mess alone as far as he was concerned.

"Taking the stand now is Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi, Master of the Eastern Bathhouse and its surrounding territories. He has been formally accused by the Council of creating a mating bond with a human," the court announcer stated. A flood of whispers went through the crowds piled into the shadows of the room, but the seven Elders sat in silence staring at him. They had seen many stand on the marble platform before them in fear, anger, sadness, and grief. Tsukiko rose primly from her seat on the alternative platform and took her place as the prosecution.

"Upon investigation of the Eastern Bathhouse, I have confirmed from several sources that Master Kohaku is believed to have taken the human known as Sen as his mate. While I was unable to secure the girl and bring her to the Capital, it is confirmed that she is here in the Spirit World. There was a magical release on the last day of the water festival that's power could only have been created by a human with access to magic. Based on these accusations, I have brought Master Kohaku in to stand trial and will present the rest of my evidence after the conclusion of the opening statements."

Tsukiko resumed her seat and Haku stood up to address the crowd. He had decided that being brief would not lessen the confusion that was mulling about into tension. Somehow he had to find the right words to say to get him out of this situation.

"As most of you know, my river used to flow in both of the worlds before I brought it completely over to this one. Generations of humans had come, lived, and gone in the time that I had roamed there, but only one stood out to me above the rest. There was a child that visited with her family every weekend and unlike all of the others, she came to my water with blind adoration. Every flutter of my fish in the shallows, every colorful stone I threw up onto the shore, she was endlessly fascinated. Her parents were careful to never let her close enough for me to touch and though I tried, she was always out of reach. My river became enamored with her and despite my better judgement, I let it cater to her whims. I believed it a whimsical game, a passing fleet of fancy, since I knew it would only be a matter of years before the girl became a woman and she sought her fortune far from my home.

When the pollution became worse and the humans began filling in parts of my river for new buildings, I was left with a hard decision. I could pull back into the Spirit World or manage the impurities and weakness by leaving the water to purify regularly. Unwilling to give up my place in the human world and the amusement I found in it, I began leaving my river unattended so that I could visit the nearby bathhouse in the Spirit world.

It was during one of these departures that my water made its move. The girl had wandered closer than usual to a crumbling bank and in its desire to touch her, it swept harshly at the support beneath her without thinking of the consequences. When the dirt gave out, she lost her pink shoe to my water as she had scrambled back. It was planning on lodging its prized treasure far beneath the rippling current, but the girl had other plans. She stretched out to grab the shoe back and fell in. I returned to the river as soon as I felt the disturbance and found that my river had taken both her and the shoe to rest atop the silt at the bottom. In its happiness to have and hold her, it had forgotten that humans need air to live.

I was struck by guilt and panic as I brought her up to the surface. Yanking my water from her lungs, I listened for a heartbeat and heard it taking its last beat. My water had killed the girl in its desire to possess her for good. For a fraction of a second, I considered binding her and taking her as my bride, but I resisted. A child would not understand or reciprocate the desires of an adult, nor would taking the form of a child to suit her needs appeal to me. So I tried the last thing I could think of: I pushed a bit of magic into her body to try and kick start her heart.

The girl revived and I returned her to her family without revealing myself. She stopped visiting after that day, and I was confident that that would be the last I would see of her. However it seems that somehow I tied our fates together that summer day. She appeared before me again when I was Yubaba's apprentice. I had lost all of my memories when I had been put under the witch's spell, but I could still remember her. She was able to revive my memories allowing me to break my contract and I helped her regain her freedom to return to the human world.

I did not begin the mating bond with a human. The fact that she has lived a completely normal life and grown from child to woman stands as proof that we did not consummate a bond. The magic that was felt on the last day of the festival was from another spirit ignorantly letting his magic run amok as he came back into his memories after the cleansing ceremony."

Haku let the words settle into the mass and could see some of the shadows nodding their heads in understanding. The Elders looked unmoved, but they wouldn't be fooled by just anything. However maybe there was more to gain for an audience with the most powerful spirits in the world. Considering his next words carefully, he spoke his plea softly.

"That being said, I wouldn't object to marrying her if the Council would permit it and she accepted my proposal."

.-…-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Chihiro ignored the stares following her around as she cozied up to the bar at the End of the Line. Lin had already reminded her twice today to ignore the pointed looks of the bathhouse staff that seemed to dog her day and night. Even here where they were supposed to be guests relaxing, she could hear whispers of Lady Sen and Mistress Chihiro floating about as if in awe of her relationship with the bathhouse master. It wasn't even worth the effort to try and correct them. Hikaru took the offered beer from the bartender with much thanks and wasted no time in getting into it.

"Don't you find it odd, Taka," Okita asked as he put down his mug of ale. The three of them were sitting together at the bar as the tengu worked his magic behind it. Continuing to rub dry the glass in his hand, Taka looked back at him in quiet question. "I know you heard that messenger from the front as well as I."

Indeed both of the men had been present at the bar when a messenger from the war front had stopped by for a meal on his way to the Capital. An unusual excitement had hung about the lackey as he explained the retreat of the Tainted forces in the Eastern lands. As far as they could tell, the impure spirits had been pushed back several kilometers by the snow laden purifying wind and as a result, were nearly back to their original lands. The army had all but scrambled to retake the lost ground and fortify their new positions. Hope was bubbling forth from the messenger and infecting the other bar occupants. Perhaps the war could brought to a reasonable end, returning the enlisted spirits back to their homelands peacefully unharmed. Taka shrugged his shoulders uncommittedly as Okita continued.

"Not to be the pessimistic here, but armies don't just disappear like that. Even if they did retreat to recover, there is no telling if this is not some alternative plan of attack."

"The closest danger to us is the Eastern Tainted army. As long as they are back in the far Eastern marshes instead of knocking at our doors, then I don't care," Taka said replied as he put the glass away on the shelf and picked up another from the drying rack.

"There are too many coincidences to ignore Taka. Think about it for a second. Our army is over extended trying to reclaim their claim on these lands and the sworn protector of the Eastern bathhouse is called to the Capital for business meaning we are not as well guarded as normal. It would be a prime time to attack, and yet all of the reports we have been getting is that the Tainted are running as if the kami are cleansing behind them."

"I'd rather be grateful for the little things in life," Taka replied simply as he smiled at Lin as she walked into the bar. Looking around in question, she almost completely ignored him. Her behavior was odd in itself, but he could believe it was the stress of suddenly being thrust into such a powerful position. She seemed unsatisfied by the occupants present, but threw him another smile as she moved to join the others at the bar. Taka was quick to return the smile in kind and with a short bow, she took the last bar stool. "We are well protected here. It would take quite some force to get past the barriers around the town, let alone the bathhouse. Don't you think we would have heard if such a force was moving our way?"

"I rather have regular news then this quiet," Okita said after another long pull from his drink, "Better to be prepared than caught off guard."

"No news is good news," Hikaru threw in with a shrug. Chihiro nodded her agreement, but found herself watching Taka stare at Lin as she half-heartedly flipped through the drink menu. It wasn't hard to believe that he held a torch for her friend. In fact it seemed kind of obvious that they both were soft for each other if their shared glances were anything to go by…she had to remember to ask Lin about it at a later time when not in present company.

"Have any of you seen Aogaeru? He hasn't shown up for work these past few days and it's unlike him to go missing for so long," Lin asked from beneath her furrowed brow. The missing frog was weighing on her conscience though she surely had larger problems to deal with.

"I'm sure he will turn up. I heard he was shacking up with one of the eels on guard duty recently," Okita offered as assurance. Grumbling her displeasure at the mental image, Lin placed her usual order and let it go as best she could. It would be like that frivolous frog to stay holed up for days with whatever bed mate he had managed to recently grab.

-..-…-.-.-..-…-..—

The palanquin crashed to the ground as its bearers gave up their lives to protect it. Water that would have normally surged forward in a gust of energy to represent its lady laid murky and lethargic as it seeped out into the ground. Pushing out of the wreckage, Hana stood to face the enemy surrounding her. She had ignored her servant's cries for help in hopes that they would pull through this without her having to reveal her lack of power. A solid black wall loomed overhead, nearly blocking out the moonlight. Mentally begging her water to rise, she felt her panic escalate as it soaked into the ground away from her. Fickle as its changing tides, water only chose its allegiance based on power and purity. Hana was from a prestigious lineage, but she knew she wasn't chosen based on power, only on purity. Taking the traitor's life and keeping her silence in hopes of harming those at the bathhouse had taken its toll accordingly.

"You've come from the Eastern Bathhouse," a voice spoke from behind her. Spinning about to face him, Hana felt her brows knit together in confusion. A white fox in black armor stepped out from the wall, the tendrils of darkness clung to him like a lover drawing him back to bed. Ignoring the uncanny similarity to another white fox she had seen only days before, Hana summoned the little remaining water into her hand. It would do no good with this many surrounding her, but at least she could do was go down fighting. "There's no need to raise your hand against us. You aren't far from joining us anyways."

"I will do no such thing," Hana gritted out through clenched teeth. She could finally see the bodies of her servants about her from the corners of her eyes and the sight brought her a sea of regret. They had served her well and though they should have fought harder to give her a chance to escape, they had made the ultimate sacrifice for their mistress. The hand maiden that had displeased her at the bathhouse was on display like artwork at the top of the pile. Black seeped from her wide open eyes and red blood wept down from her cut neck. Hana recognized the sliver of humanity welling up inside of her with regret at her callous treatment of the girl and the other servants lying there before her. As their mistress she should have use her power to protect them all from evil, but instead she cowered in her palanquin until it was much too late for any of them. Self-criticism reared its ugly head, but quickly shifted to hatred of the smirking fox in front of her.

"Your water has abandoned you and that which remains is as dark and little as a cup of tea. What plagues your heart, fish? Jealousy, lust, greed," the fox asked as he slowly circled her, "… murder?"

"Enough!" Chuckling lightly at her impertinence, he shook his head and began walking away from her towards the direction he came from. She was right that he didn't have the time to waste on playing with her at the moment. "I won't join you filth."

"As you wish," he said addressing her one last time before looking back into the rippling black awaiting his command, "take the information we need from her and leave her body with the rest. Even if she is already falling, we don't need a shell like her in our ranks."

Walking away he could hear gurgling screams pierce the air behind him. Smiling as he took his position at the front again, the fox resumed their course towards the bathhouse. There was no doubt in his mind that the magical pulse that had reached almost clear to the Northern peaks and decimated the Eastern war front had belonged to his kin. Their ice magic was a family trait and only one member remained outside of the fold. He had been waiting well over three fortnights for a sign of where his brother had disappeared to, and now it wouldn't be long before they were reunited. The fox was nearly brought to a standstill when the pilfered information from the koi fish was added to the collective mind. Grinning from ear to ear, he doubled their pace and the tendrils of shadow frenzied in excitement. A prized bathhouse without its protective master and his last brother inside of its walls was simply too good to pass up.

.-.-…-.-.-…-

"The Council now calls to trial Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi on the charge of creating a mating bond with a human." Haku gave a brief bow to the announcer and stood up to take his place on the platform before the council. He kept his hands forcibly flat and his posture relaxed though it was taking considerably more strength to do so. It was better to give them the impression that he had nothing to lose by these proceedings than give them a hint of blood in their waters. "We hereby find the defendant innocent of all charges and release him from the contract placed in holding. We apologize for the inconvenience of these matters and hope you will look favorably upon our offer for your advancement."

"I thank you all for the great honor of the offer however at this time I must return to the bathhouse. There has been troubles just outside of my city that have left me on edge," Haku replied as he held his arm out to Tsukiko. The rabbit looked unperturbed as she turned away from him instead and began putting her papers back into her folder.

"I hope you will give me the courtesy of removing your mark in private. There are many people present at the moment." Hearing the implications, Haku gave a short nod in understanding and formally excused himself from the courtroom. The seer wanted to talk to him alone before he flew as fast as he could away from the Capital. The trial had taken the full two days and he would have to move quickly to meet the deadline he had given the fox. Following her silently through the halls, he wasn't surprised when she led him to a marble gazebo in an indoor garden. He could see the doors to her private quarters on the other side of the path though she didn't deviate from her line of sight. In the center of the gazebo stood a large bowl full of water laced with magic for seeing the future for those who were capable of such a gift. Beginning to feel uneasy, Haku watched her sit down on a cushion beside the looking glass.

"You must be pleased with the trial's outcome. It's not often that there is insubstantial evidence to support a claim," Tsukiko stated softly as she stirred the water absentmindedly. She was thinking of a way to approach the situation without causing a panic. All of this required a delicate touch if all was to be fulfilled. The dragon in question frowned at her, but refused to move to the open cushion in front of her. He definitely did not want the Seer inside of his head looking at his future.

"I supposed I have you to thank for that. Why bother with accusing me if you were planning on sabotaging the trial to begin with. You hardly made a believable case," Haku ventured. It had been a deliberate waste of his time having him come out here, but she undoubtedly had a reason.

"You forced my hand when you refused the Elder's offer outright. I wanted to involve Chihiro in this mess as much as you did." Haku scowled at her as she motioned for him to sit with an impolite glare. He stalked over to sit opposite her in front of the looking glass.

"Yet you did and nearly cost both of us our lives. Don't think I will let this go unpunished."

"And you thought you wouldn't fit in here at the Capital. You're just as cutthroat as the rest of them," Tsukiko mocked. It's not that he couldn't make a place here, he was more than capable of establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with, rather that he didn't want to become that person. Haku lifted up a tendril of the water from the glass and curved it into a ball. Summoning the water to him felt empowering and when dealing with a volatile spirit like the rabbit in front of him, he wanted to feel in control. She was like the futures she predicted herself, a million possibilities and moods in each choice. Reaching over as if to take the water from him, Tsukiko grabbed his arm and removed the seal harshly. Haku jerked away from her and the water splashed down between them. Sitting back with a dead expression, the rabbit spoke with haughty arrogance.

"In a few moments a messenger is going to come through those doors over there and you are not going to like the news he will share. You will be sorely tempted to fly out of here and never look back. However for the sake of everyone involved, you need to stay still long enough to hear me out."

"How could you possibly know that if you haven't had a vision?" Haku was calling her bluff and wondered if most of the council was in on her game. The fact was, he had been careful to give her almost no opportunity to touch him and when she did, he made sure to watch her and see if she had a vision. The two times she had touched him had yielded nothing. He wouldn't be fooled by her menagerie of illusions. As if on cue, a heavy set of knocks came from the door and Haku felt himself fill with foreboding despite his confidence that this was a setup. Daisuke left them to open the door and bring in the spirit.

"Did you forget Kohaku that your life is no longer just your own? I knew exactly what would happen since the moment I touched her." As her words sunk in, Haku realized what they meant. The Seer had to have gotten to Chihiro sometime during the festival. His protective instinct reared its head and he realized that he had left her unaware of the potential dangers that could have lurking. What had she seen? Daisuke and a lion spirit walked through the garden to approach them.

"Seer, there has been word of strange Tainted movement in the Eastern lands. The Elders would like for you to please use your gift and investigate their future plans," the lion asked formally with a bow.

"There's no need for me to do that. Right now the Eastern Tainted army is weak and has pulled back to their home territory to recover. However in their stead, the Northern Tainted have grown bold and they sweep down to flank our troops with silence maneuvers. The full strength of the Northern Tainted army will be on the Eastern Bathhouse by early tomorrow morning and it will fall before adequate forces can reach it."

"Impossible. There are shields around the town that would take at least a week to push through," Haku retorted as his mind raced with all the possibilities. Part of him was still arguing that this was all a game that she was playing to get what she wanted, but the rest of him was analyzing the possibility that maybe she was telling the truth.

"The shields will fail because there is no water spirit or witch present to replace the corrupted ones currently standing. I was able to see from the looking glass that the Tainted performed a test to make sure they could get past your shields and they were successful. Think about it Kohaku. Have you overlooked something in the past few weeks?"

Haku's mind recalled Hana's threat of an inside agent and the disturbances along the roads. However it was the eel's death in the city that came to mind. The Tainted shouldn't have been able to get inside, and yet they had…it was all falling into place. Haku shot to his feet and walking quickly towards the doors. He had to go. He had to protect the bathhouse. "If you leave right now Kohaku, everyone you love will perish. You do not have the strength alone to take on an army of this magnitude."

Her words brought him to a halt even as his mind sought out his water and begged it to go warn the others. It was harder to connect with his river the further away he was and right now he was much further than he had ever been before. There was static silence on its end. Turning on his heel to face her, Haku looked down at the rabbit spinning water in her glass.

"How do I save them? You have seen the future. How do I save them?!"

"You will die in battle unsuccessful and alone if you remain as you are. However, the Captain of the Guard can summon his soldiers and move them to attack a threat to the Capital. I think this would count as an attack, now don't you?"

.-.-..-.-.-..-..-.—

There was no warning smoke in the distance, no surge of patients in the infirmary, nothing to give them the grace of a heads up. One moment they were going about their normal lives and the next, half the town was gone. In a twist of fate, Chihiro was glad for their sacrifice because there was no more room in the bathhouse for scared spirits. The usual serenity of the bathhouse was gone in its mix of panic, fear, and despair. Spirits were constantly bathing trying to stay pure from what they were creating themselves. She wasn't quite sure how Lin and Kamaji had managed to get a temporary barrier up to protect this side of the river, but it was done. Chihiro looked out the window in Haku's office at the wall of black on the other side of the river.

Tuning back in to the arguing voices in the background, Chihiro looked back at the tense, dirty occupants around the room. Lin sat behind Haku's desk as if it were going to give her the power to protect them all. Hikaru stood by the other window with a calculative look on his face and Taka paced by the bookshelves. Okita sat across from Lin arguing strategy and the foreman had claimed another chair nearby, but had yet to mutter a peep. The fighting had drawn to a near standstill once the temporary barrier went up and the portal's magic drained both sides of fighters in its grasp. While they were in here debating what to do next, spirits were still out there patrolling the barrier.

"The dragon should be back in three days if the trial went off without a hitch. We can simply wait them out," Taka threw into the mix.

"The shield won't hold that long. They are already seeping through the temporary shield in small numbers, it's only a matter of a time till that fails and we only have the shield around the bathhouse. We have no way of knowing if the bathhouse shield was affected by whatever they did to destroy the town's and I can't create a new shield to replace it. It would take a powerful witch or water spirit to do that," Lin replied as she ran a tired hand through her hair.

"Any chance that we could get to Master Haku or Watari-san and let them know the situation," Hikaru asked.

"Haku is busy in the Capital and even if we could get a message out to him, he would not be able to get here in time. It's not like he can teleport," Okita retorted.

"The crane returns to the human world when it rains. She is unreachable," Lin said hopelessly. Chihiro looked away from the rain drops on the window and felt an idea forming.

"I can reach both of them. Haku might not be able to do anything from the Capital but maybe he can have them send troops. Our best bet of getting a new shield quickly will have to be Yui though. If you can help me get to the shrine, I can attempt to summon her," Chihiro stated as she registered the expressions on everyone's faces.

"Absolutely not. You are not going anywhere near the exit of this bathhouse so long as we have enemies on our doorstep," Lin remarked.

"It's a workable plan. Taka, Hikaru, and I can protect her and get her to the shrine."

"How exactly can you reach them," Taka asked.

"I can contact Haku's water from the bathhouse to let him know what's going on. Watari-san mentioned in passing a way of contacting her in emergencies, but I'm not sure the exact details of how it works. All I know is that it involves the bell hanging over the well in the private sector of the shrine."

"I won't risk you on a game of chance," Lin shouted standing up from her seat.

"You said yourself that both of the shields are still holding for now and we have plenty of spirits out there killing off the Tainted that get through. If we quickly go now, we can be back before the shield weakens further and the town becomes a true battlefield," Chihiro replied back heatedly as she stood as well, "You can't keep me out of this. There are too many lives on the line and we need everyone working together to succeed."

"If the shield starts to break while she is doing the run to the shrine, we will need a plan. Something to keep the Tainted distracted if things go wrong," Okita commented dryly as he sat back in his chair.

"We can go on the offensive," Taka offered, "Right now they have us surrounded. If we set off a series of bombs, on the side closest to the Capital they will think we are trying to flee inland. Chances are they will surge their troops around the barrier to block us."

"There is also a chance that they will try to come through the barrier to flank us. We will need one of us on each side of the bathhouse commanding. One directing the attack, and the other defending," Okita replied with a nod.

"That would only leave one of us with Chihiro if the other is keeping the masses inside in control," Lin shot a dirty glare at the still frozen foreman. No one was counting on his help at this point. It was obvious he would do better to stay in a cleansing bath until this mess was over.

"Our supplies are low with so many spirits cleansing so frequently," the foreman shakily commented, "if we get rid of some of them, perhaps we would have a better chance."

All of the heads in the room turned to glare at him with disgust. Lin was the first to recover her composure.

"We are not going to make the enemy stronger by sacrificing some of our own and inciting panic amongst the bathhouse. However, I'm not opposed to seeing if we can find an escape route for those that wish to leave. We can discuss it later. Right now, all of us can do with some sleep while we can still get some."


	39. Chapter 37

This is the last chapter of the arc. FINALLY! I will be taking a break for several weeks to work on real life projects before I begin editing in earnest. You will know I have edited a chapter when my usual rant at the top of a chapter is missing and there is a proper chapter name at the top. When the edits are finished there will be another break as I prepare a few chapters to get us rolling into arc two. When I start arc two, I highly suggest going back and rereading the story from the start because I will lace in some foreshadowing and world information to support the transitioning. Until then, I hope only the best for you all and thanks for joining me on this journey.

 **Chapter 37:**

Chihiro waited until everyone had left, leaving her alone with Hikaru. The fox was staring contemplatively out the window and she wondered if the deep scowl on his face was his regular expression back home in the North. She turned to leave him and get ready for bed when he finally spoke.

"I know these tactics." Chihiro's head shot around to look at him, but he still hadn't moved. "The wall of Tainted might not seem bad out there but we can't see its depth. It's a tactic my brothers and I used with snow to trap foolish shadows that came too close to our residences."

"Are you saying-"

"Yes. I believe that my family has come for me."

"You aren't going out there."

"If I go, then maybe they will not bring down the bathhouse," Hikaru whispered, "they will state their demands once they have us off kilter, but I already know who they want."

"Do you really believe your sacrifice will stop this," Chihiro shouted making him look up with empty eyes, "This is a maneuver of war! They will come for the bathhouse if you are here or not because it would cripple their enemy and give them a foothold of power in these lands."

Hikaru's silent acceptance of her words infuriated her almost as much as Lin's attempt to put her life above the others. She was one of them. At some point over the past few weeks, Chihiro had accepted that this was her life now, whether she had consciously made the decision or not.

"I think I will go take a herbal rinse downstairs. It seems my mind is getting muddled," Hikaru said quietly.

"Indeed. Today has been a trying day." The fox abandoned his post and made for the door. As he slid it open, Chihiro called out to him.

"Hikaru, I really do value our friendship. Please don't do something stupid." He gave her a sad smile and bowed before leaving her to her thoughts.

.-.-.-..-.-.-..-…-.-…

"After sleeping on it, I've decided we will go with Chihiro's plan from last night. Hikaru you will lead the offensive strike and should you successfully pierce the barrier, the women and children are on standby to escape. Taka will defend the front of side of the bathhouse and I will maintain the order inside, with assistance from the foreman as needed. Chihiro and Okita will make the run to the shrine to see if we can summon Yui," Lin ordered calmly as they all sat around the table finishing breakfast. It had seemed a good time for them all to meet under semi amiable terms. "However before we put everything in action, Chihiro and I are going to visit the bathhouse core to see if there is anything we can do there."

"I spoke with Haku's water last night and it showed me that Haku is already on his way back with several others. It estimates that if they keep the record pace they are at, they will arrive here tonight." Chihiro didn't want to go in depth about how she contacted Haku's water or its subsequent pleading for her to abandon the others and join it in the safety of the cavern deep below. She had only gotten its cooperation by promising to return immediately to it if the temporary shield broke or if anything appeared to be going wrong. Knowing that it was Haku's weak point and that knowledge of its location shouldn't be spread, she had purposefully kept her mouth shut about it. If push came to shove and things looked like they were getting bad, she would get his water to bring as many people as possible down there. He could worry about finding it a new safe place later after they survived this situation.

"I spoke with the night watch and they said we had a significant increase in the number of holes in the shield throughout the night. I'd estimate the shield will collapse sometime this afternoon if we are lucky," Taka threw in. Nodding her head as she took in all of the information, Lin stood up and adjourned the meeting. Falling into step behind her, Hikaru and Chihiro followed Lin to the heart of the bathhouse.

Together they wound through the complex maze in the basement, not far from the infirmary itself. Their progression, which under normal circumstances would have created a buzz of curiosity, was overlooked in favor of the raging gossip and worry at foot.

"Whose idea was it to place the bathhouse core in the same maze as the infirmary," Hikaru asked as he looked around on edge. Chihiro had to admit that he had a point. It seemed kind of stupid to put the key to their castle within a rock's toss and skip from potential enemies.

"Everyone always presumes that the core is at the top, in the most heavily guarded and warded area of the bathhouse. The Tainted will climb upward in search of it so Haku arranged for it to be moved into the deepest part instead. I only know because I stumbled upon his blueprints for the change several months back."

As if sensing their arrival, a door appeared at the dead end in front of them. Reaching out to grasp the door handle, Chihiro slid it open and stepped into the odd room. Upon first view, the core was a large pure white room with not a single piece of furniture in it. It had the feeling of a timeless dimension of space and as she approached closer to a wall she could see neat folds hiding panels about them. A buzz of static behind her caught Chihiro's attention. Lin looked sheepishly in from beyond the door frame, a slight shimmer in the air as the shield resettled itself.

"I can't enter here. Haku isn't dead and there hasn't been a formal exchange of power to give me access," Lin stated with a small frown. She had predicted this, but had hoped for a different outcome. "You would think the bathhouse would understand our situation and make this small exception."

"Then how did we get in here," Chihiro asked curiously as she began to explore further into the room. She had the sensation that they were being watched, but she couldn't pinpoint the source of her tension.

"When the dragon started the mating bond, he gave you a piece of his magic. Whatever seal he used to stop the progression was removed when we did the cleansing ceremony. That magic is now recognizable to all of us. The bathhouse permits our entrance here because you are the chosen of its master and I am contracted to you in service."

"Hikaru," Lin's voice cut in as a warning and reminder. The weasel gave him a pointed look as Chihiro's back was turned to them. As the fox approached her, Chihiro turned around in question. The look of regret on his features made him appear more distant than she had ever seen him.

"Hikaru," Chihiro asked in question as he reached out to her. Pulling her into a hug against him, she squirmed uncomfortably after a few seconds. He was unusually cold to the touch despite the thick fur and clothes on him, and it felt as if ice was seeping into her. "Hikaru, let go!"

A jolt of panic coursed through her veins as she realized that he wasn't releasing her on purpose. The winter entering her system wasn't her imagination. Chihiro could feel herself shaking in an effort to fight against him, but it was becoming harder and harder to stay awake. The colder she got, the more she wanted to sleep.

"Don't do this," she slurred as her eyes slid shut. After a few more moments, her body went limp in his arms and he slowly lowered her form to the ground.

"I'm sorry Chihiro, but this is for your own good," Hikaru whispered as he made a gentle bed of snow to make her more comfortable on the floor. She was out cold, and would remain so for hopefully long enough for them to finish what had to be done. Stepping away with determination, Hikaru returned to the door where Lin looked at him with ire.

"You are lucky she hasn't figured out how to use that magic otherwise you would have been shit out of luck."

"No, I'm lucky the bathhouse didn't kill me for moving against her. Now let's get going before it changes its mind," Hikaru retorted with a glare. Behind them the door disappeared back into the woodwork.

.-.-.-.-.-…

Lin felt her heart fluttering in her throat as she ran across the ghost town between the bathhouse and the shrine. Somehow their plan was working but the rain wasn't letting up in the slightest. Skidding past the main shrine, she slammed opened the doors into the building that Chihiro had briefly described. Though this was a place of sacrilege, she was wasting no time in throwing open every door possible in hunt of the bell that they needed. Spotting the object in question, Lin stalked forward with purpose and felt the magic surrounding it repulsing her. She grasped the small mallet hanging on the side of the well and slammed it into the bell as hard as she could. The vibrations shook through her, stinging the air and announcing her presence to everyone well within a click. Expecting instant results, Lin felt her panic rise when the bell detached itself from the wood holding it up and dropped down into the water below.

Rather than summoning its master, the stones of the well closed up and the entire structure disappeared into the firm dirt. Lin was left gaping at the empty space as the sounds of movement from outside grew louder. She waited as long as she dared before her pessimistic mind forced her out into the open to make the suicidal run for the bathhouse. If they were truly abandoned by the only resident water spirit, then the hope for survival was marginal. In front of her, she could see the temporary shield collapsing and the enemy pushing in on all sides.

-.-.-.-.

Black and Red. Black and Red. Even as she was surrounded by black, there were waves of red. The silence wrapping her was pierced by the siren that accompanied that lighting pattern. Forcing open her sleepy eyes, Chihiro could see red light rippling across the ceiling in time to the warning bell. She took a deep shaky breath and sat up carefully. Chihiro was drenched in water and the white room around her seemed to have shifted into black. As if sensing her awakening, a panel in the wall popped open revealing a glint of silver beyond its reach. Just like before, Chihiro could feel someone watching her. Climbing up onto her feet, Chihiro ignored the panel in favor of trying to open the door she had entered in. The entrance was locked tight and unmovable despite her best efforts. Turning about to face the panel, she cautiously approached it. As her fingers skimmed the edge of the opening, the room became a dull white pulsing with the warning bell just the slightest bit faster. The bathhouse was under attack. Despite the change in lighting, the passage before her remained dark, as if it were a black hole sucking in light and matter without a discernible end. Chihiro trusted her gut and stepped inside.

Sliding her fingertips along the wall, Chihiro ventured into the darkness and found herself in a room full of mirrors that did not show her reflection in their infinite stretches. The sensation of someone watching her was so strong it felt like ants running over her skin.

"Hello," she called out, but there was no response. Turning about she was startled to see herself in the reflection behind her. Stepping closer, she realized that it wasn't her at all and the reflection wasn't continued on the refractions of the infinite mirrors. The woman was near identical to her, except for the blank expression on her face and startling blue eyes. Raising a hand slowly the woman motioned for her to look to the right. Chihiro felt her jaw drop as she saw the scene playing out on the mirrors beside her. The glass was rippling showing the main infirmary in a scene of pure chaos. Patients were rapidly being consumed by their darkness and were taking out the staff that ventured inside. They were escaping out into the maze causing a rebellion from inside the bathhouse.

"There was no time to wait for you to wake. I had to take action," a whistle like voice spoke softly from the woman watching the scene from her mirror. The visual panned out and showed the Tainted surging through the maze even as the maze constantly shifted walls and traps to keep them there. Zooming out further, it showed her a breach on the first and second levels of the bathhouse as a battle raged on outside. The entire map shown became consumed with flames and she realized that she could smell a hint of smoke in the air. Chihiro shrieked as mirrors behind her shattered and the reflection looked at the shards with sadness. "The fire has grown too strong and will consume what's left of me if you do not stop it."

"What do you need me to do," Chihiro asked as she felt the fear rising inside of her. The bathhouse was on fire and she was trapped in the basement courtesy of Hikaru. It appeared as if they were losing the battle. Mirrors closer to her shattered as Chihiro hid her head in between her arms.

"Control the water again. Put out the fire."

"I don't know how to use magic," Chihiro shouted as the reflection turned away from her and disappeared. In its stead a map of the bathhouse appeared and a green arrow showed a specific route upward.

"Go to his water. It will help you." The mirror shattered and Chihiro felt a shriek leave her as some of the glass cut her cheek. Wiping away the blood, she stumbled back and started for the passage back to the first room.

"Chihiro," a voice exclaimed before stopping to cough for a few moments, "Chihiro, where are you?!"

The door out of the white room opened on the first try and she launched straight out of it into Hikaru. The fox was leaning against the wall calling out for her, unable to find the passage into the core with the shifting maze. He looked terrible, though not as bad as he looked when he had first entered the infirmary. Hikaru was filthy, covered in the blood of his enemies, soot from the fire and sweating more profusely than someone under a running shower. The bathhouse was raising the temperature, burning out the infestation and yet the fox was here trying to save her despite his weakness to heat.

"The bathhouse is burning. We have to get out of here." Grabbing his hand, Chihiro pulled him out of the hallway and began maneuvering them upward on the path she had been shown.

"Aim for the nearest exit, I can try to fight a way out for us," Hikaru said as he tried to clear his throat again.

"No, we have to get back to Haku's apartment," Chihiro exclaimed as she found herself coughing as well. Avoiding the collapsed portion of the hallway, her steps were confident with the knowledge the bathhouse had provided. The heat was unimaginable, but they were moving quickly and low to the ground. "I can put out the fire."

"WHAT?! No Chihiro! The bathhouse is lost. It's not safe to stay here any longer."

"Trust me, Hikaru. The bathhouse showed me what I have to do. She is drawing in the enemy and killing it with fire, but it's becoming too much power for her to handle. We got to summon Haku's water and get it to put out the fire before we lose her."

"She's already lost. Chihiro it is insane to go climbing up a burning building. The floors could give out and kill us before any of the Tainted got close."

"She showed me a safe path up. All of the exits are already blocked," Chihiro retorted as she guided them higher. Narrowly avoiding several falling timbers as they got to the second floor, she dragged him onward. "We have to save the bathhouse. It's our only chance."

Before he could raise an argument, a blast hit them from the side sending them both into the rubble. Getting up slowly, Chihiro looked back at the spirit who had sent the attack at them. Smirking in victory a fox was charging from another section of rubble towards them. His black armor contrasted against the white of his fur like artwork, and his arrogance was radiating from him in bounds. The fire that was crushing his soldiers looked only a mere background behind him. Shaking himself a bit, Hikaru stood to face him and took a defensive position in front of Chihiro. His tails were out in full view and his sword raised at the ready, but Chihiro could see the slight wobble in his stance.

"Chihiro, run," Hikaru said quietly as he stepped forward to block another blast from hitting them. A moment of indecision fluttered through her as she saw him step forward to engage the enemy. Making her decision, she began bolting over the rubble towards the next floor up. A sizzle in the air behind her warned her of an incoming attack and she rolled in time to avoid it. The rubble she was climbing did not fare so well, she would have to find another way up quickly.

"Not so fast, precious. I will be wanting you as well," the fox called out with laughter. He didn't seem to be exerting much energy though Hikaru was panting to keep up with him. She couldn't help but wonder how many fights he had survived to get to her in the heart of the maze when the area was flooded with enemies. "Oh come now brother, it seems you haven't been practicing. Our father would be so disappointed."

Moving with a renewed purpose, Chihiro took in her surroundings. Flames were licking at the walls still standing around them, rubble partially covered a pressured steam pipe, and a section of railing hung out awkwardly over a broken elevator shaft. Taking a chance on the craftsmanship of the bathhouse, she put her weight on the railing as a test and started climbing as it held out. The heat was getting stronger and her hands were getting sweaty as she finally brought herself up over the edge. Noting the lack of metallic clangs, she looked back and felt her heart stop as she saw Hikaru down against the rubble trying to shake off whatever hit had befell him. His sword was a solid two feet away, and his brother was above him with his black blade upraised with a sick smiled twisted on his face. She couldn't get back down to him in time and there was nothing within reach.

"NO," Chihiro screamed and for a fraction of a second, the fox paused to smile at her. Thrusting her hand out towards them as if it would help save him, Chihiro felt a surge of adrenaline and power go through her. The nearby pipe burst shooting pressurized water straight into the chest of the Tainted fox and punching him out the opening he had come from. Just as quickly as it had appeared, the water just as quickly evaporated into nothing, though the damage was done. Hikaru looked up at her in shock and Chihiro tried to offer him a reassuring smile, but a wave of dizziness overtook her. Falling back against the floor, Chihiro felt like she was about to be sick from the world turning about her at odd angles. In no time at all, Hikaru reached her side and held a hand against her forehead.

"Idiot! You're lucky you didn't pass out from that," Hikaru chided as he swept some of the ash off of her belly.

"How did I do that," Chihiro asked as Hikaru slid his sword back into his sheath.

"You tapped into the part of you that this is no longer human. He must be one hell of a water spirit if the sliver he gave you had that much power," Hikaru replied darkly as Chihiro carefully sat up. She felt herself bouncing back from whatever had hit her, but there seemed an emptiness in the pit of her stomach that made it feel as if she had lost something. "I suggest you don't do try that again until we reach the top of the bathhouse. If you pass out, I won't be able to carry you and fight in this state."

Nodding her agreement Chihiro let Hikaru help her to her feet. The room below them began to fill with flames as its floor gave out. They had to keep moving.

.-.-…-..-.-.-….

Haku could see the plume of smoke blackening the sky from kilometers away. Ignoring the worried chattering of the rest of the guard, he pushed them to keep flying. Tonight their blades would taste blood and their bodies would suffer the costs of battle. As the seer had predicted, a wall of black covered the town and appeared to have reached the bathhouse. However he could see the fire eating away at the enemy as the bathhouse fought back. A small sphere of water was also fighting its way from the portal towards the bathhouse, flanking the army. Somewhere in all of this mess, Chihiro was waiting for him. His river was anxiously watching through his eyes and its fury was unmatched. Letting out a roar of rage, Haku reached into the deepest part of himself for his magic and possessed the entire length of the river splitting the town. Raising its waters high above the wall of Tainted, he crushed it down upon his enemies.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Chihiro crashed into the bathroom and ran towards what remained of the bathtub in the corner. Sweat and ash clung to her in heaps and whatever water that had rested in the main bath before had long evaporated into unpleasant steam. A mount of smoldering coals rested on top of the cover, but she didn't think anything of it as she reached out. Grasping the bath cover with both hands in an effort to pull it off, Chihiro let out a cry as her hands burned. Releasing the hot metal, she looked at it in fear. The heat from the burning rubble had sealed the passage shut. Ignoring the red sores forming on her hands, she tried once more but got not an inch of give. Letting go, she sucked in the heavy air and felt her strength leaving. Reaching into the depths of her body, she reached for the power to make his water come to her. Surely she would have the strength left to summon Haku's water and put out the fire. How could it not know that the bathhouse was going up in flames? That a war raged a top of its hideout?

In her distraction, Chihiro did not see the burning log coming crashing down above her. A flash of white slammed into her and sent her out of the way in the nick of time. Pulling in ragged breaths, Hikaru was visibly pouring off buckets of sweat as if he were melting from the nearby heat.

"Damn it, Chihiro," Hikaru gasped in anger, "I didn't fight so hard to have you crushed by an errant beam!"

"I was trying to move the water," Chihiro retorted back. Even with all of her concentration, she hadn't felt even the slightest response. She must have used up the last of her power earlier. Their battle to the top had been for nothing and her mistake could very well cost them their lives. "I couldn't get the seal off of the tub."

"Well it isn't going to come off now," Hikaru replied as he eyed the fallen timber burning across the top of the tub. A hiss of nearby pipe warned of imminent explosion and the ground beneath them shook as if the wood beneath them was being hit with a massive wave. Grabbing her roughly, Hikaru guided her back through the maze of falling wreckage. The fire blocked them from the balconies and windows, and they were forced back out of the apartment door. Where the elevator once stood, an empty cavern of smoke and ash remained. Realizing they were trapped, Hikaru turned to Chihiro.

"Do you trust me?" Chihiro coughed trying to clear her sore throat, and Hikaru pulled her towards the remaining pocket of clean air at the edge of the crumbling floor. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes," she croaked out. Putting aside his obvious distress of what he was about to do, Hikaru hugged her tightly and let his weight pull them over the edge into free fall.

.-.-..-.-.-.-.-

Yui shook the blood off of her naginata and scrambled over the rubble towards Lin. The weasel in question was sitting on top of a large chunk of fallen timber taking deep breaths of clean air. The smoke from the fire had undoubtedly blackened her lungs to some degree, but that would heal in time. Remains of fallen bodies and slayed Shadows laid everywhere in their wake. Glancing back at section of the bathhouse still standing, she wondered if the dragon had made it in time to save Chihiro. There was no doubt in her mind that love had powered the cleansing spell that wiped out almost the entirety of the Tainted force attacking.

"Do you think he found her," Yui asked as she sat down beside Lin to catch her breath. The weasel gave a shrug and kicked a small piece of stone over the pile of bodies in front of them. There was work to do, but it could wait a few more moments while she tried to recover. Adrenaline kept the shock of the death and destruction around her at bay.

"She wasn't outside of the bathhouse when the fire took the lower floors. I would like to hope she survived somehow…"

"If she didn't make it… do you think Haku will…?"

"I don't even want to imagine how powerful of a Tainted Haku would make," Lin chuckled bitterly, "Even if he did fall, I'm not sure if we would be able to end his life."

Haku barely managed to keep his panic at bay as he landed delicately in front of his apartment door. What remained of the bathhouse was empty of any signs of life. He could feel his heart seizing in terror, struggling with the fear of loss. Surely if she was gone from this world for good he would have felt it. The smell of seared human flesh drew him to what remained of the bathroom and he felt his breath catch. A large portion of the ceiling had given out over the bathtub cover, the heat of it welding the metal shut. Tossing aside the damp embers, Haku searched through the rubble following the fading scent of Chihiro. As he realized that there was no body to be saved beneath the ashes, Haku collapsed to his knees and let out a roar in anguish.

The chaos outside of the bathhouse faded to silence as he struggled with his emotions and dark thoughts. Far beneath the ground, his water was crashing against the rock walls relentlessly as if it could correct the damage that had been done, fill the hole that had been created. Haku was pulled from his thoughts by the distinct feeling of a wet sword tip on the side of his neck. It drew its way carefully around to the front of his neck as its master stepped carefully into view from behind him.

Zeniba took a hard look at his face, gauging if he was still in control of his faculties. She looked worse for wear, ash and black blood smeared all over her clothes and hair. A heavy frown rested in place of her always present smile, speaking of the hardships she had faced since they had last spoke weeks ago. As she lowered the blade, Haku recognized it as his own. Somewhere in the mess of the battle and his hunt for Chihiro, he had abandoned the sword in favor of using his bare hands to kill anyone who stood in his way. The primal urge to destroy that which threatened everything he held dear had overwhelmed him and it was by a bare fraction of reason that he hadn't shifted back into his dragon form to tear them all limb from limb with his teeth. Even now he felt like he was teetering on the edge of something inside of himself. Turning the sword about to offer him the handle with one hand, Zeniba did not reveal the dagger clasped in the other one behind her back. If he could not recover, she would do what had to be done, just as she had done to her sister years ago.

After a pregnant silence, Haku dragged his eyes away from Zeniba's face back to the sword. Squeezing his eyes shut with a heavy sigh, he grasped the handle and shakily stood up. At his full height, Haku was taller than Zeniba by a good several inches. On a normal day, she might have teased him for making her look up at him so much, but not today. Zeniba slipped the blade behind her spine back into its sheath and gave the standing dragon a small smile. His response to Chihiro's loss answered the unspoken question hanging over her head. There was no need to let him suffer unduly when she could relieve it. Her next words were spoken calmly, but they held more energy and power than the sun itself.

"She is alive."

.-.-…-.-.-…-.-.-.

Pulling in a slow breath of air into her lungs, Chihiro felt her chest rise in protest. Her entire body was sore and tender, though miraculously in one piece. Chihiro could feel Hikaru's arms still holding her tightly and the beat of his heart was a steady vibration against hers. Cracking open her ash coated eyelids, she was surprised to see pure white over Hikaru's shoulder. It almost resembled tightly packed snow, but that would be completely impossible. The bathhouse was on fire and if she were truly surrounded by snow, shouldn't it be melting from the heat? Wiggling about slightly, Chihiro could see that they were most certainly surrounded by white on all sides. She lifted a finger and poked the wall in question. Solid ice gave no yield to her and its cold felt like a mild flutter of winter rather than the freezing solid that it appeared to be. Disbelief turned into panic as she imagined the confines of the tight space growing smaller. There was barely two inches of space in any given direction around them, and nowhere for her to go.

"Hikaru, get up" Chihiro begged as she shook him. His breathing quickened as he came up from sleep and his eyes fluttered open. Looking past her as if unseeing, his expression remained neutral. "Hikaru!"

His eyes finally dragged themselves away from the ice above and settled on her. She could see the corners of his lips were trying to raise in a smile, but froze when he took in her scared expression. Splaying his fingers across her back and waist, Hikaru gave her a comforting squeeze.

"Welcome to the North."

 **END OF ARC 1**


End file.
